Look what I found today

[TLWR]

I went out to clean out the duck hut and saw something out of place. Looked like a mouse. I thought, "Great, mouse got cold and bunked with the ducks last night, just what we need!"
I cautiously bent down to investigate further

So, it wasn't quite a mouse, thank goodness!
The ducklets were 5 months old yesterday.

I've read different things about the first eggs... fine to eat/use and toss the first few.
So do we get to use this egg or do I give it to the dogs or even back to the ducks or take a few more pics after I cleaned it up more and then just toss it?

 

[gofasterstripe]

Congratulations. Im waiting for mine to begin laying. they are 20 weeks, so Im hopeing it wont be long now before I see eggs on their side of the room. I check every day coz I noticed Sly has a huge droopy egg bag under her and the runners got them just last week but they are small.
Oh, as for your egg, me, I wouldnt eat it, take pics, crack it open, take more pics and then give it to the dogs and take more pics

 

[FenDruadin]

Congrats!!! That looks definitely like a first-timer egg. Wonderful! They will often lay very small eggs at first--they'll gradually grow in size. They also will sometimes be odd shapes & sizes & textures & colors. Darker colors usually come out at first, and they tend to lighten up over time.

I eat our first eggs. I don't collect eggs for hatching until the eggs reach their full mature size. But for eating--they're all good as long as they come out with a shell on. Some may come out with just the membrane, no shell, and those I don't eat--I figure they're a lot more likely to have bacteria, etc. in them due to the lack of shell. But everything else--into the fridge they go! My favorites are when they lay teeny tiny perfectly round eggs with just a yolk in them--only happens very rarely, and only to very young ducks, but they're so CUTE when they happen.

 

[LuckyDuck411]

Congrats!

I know just how excited you must be! I'm on day seven of duck eggs. Our ducks are six months old, but only one of the 2 females has laid. We ate all our eggs so far and we are both fine!

 

[pirtykitty]

We ate the first one we got but that was a year ago. Can't remember if I scrambled it or made brownies.. anyway I remember it was GOOD !!!!!

 

[love_a_duck]

Oh, as for your egg, me, I wouldnt eat it, take pics, crack it open, take more pics and then give it to the dogs and take more pics
​

gofasterstripe,
I loved these ideas and laughed out loud.
Lots of pics for sure!

TLRW, very cool egg!

Beth​

 

[ejctm]

If you turn your head to the right, the first pic looks like the egg has a heart on it

Congrats!

You can wash it in hot water (as hot as your hand can stand) with a little detergent if you want or not. Don't wash it in cold or tepid water as that draws the water inside the egg, along with any bacteria on the surface.

Enjoy!!

 

[TLWR]

It was covered in poop this morning (I forgot to put pine straw bins in with them last night) so I quickly dunked it in their water dish after I removed the ice this morning, wiped the rest off with a paper towel and then cleaned it inside later.
We decided we'll give this one to the dogs. I'll take pics when I decide to cook that sucker up!

 

[TLWR]

ok, so we tried and then gave the rest to the dogs


One extra large chicken egg on the left and one indian runner duck egg on the right.
The ducks are 3-3.5 pounds. I have no idea how big the chicken is that lays the x-large eggs

Duck egg - nice clear white and bright yolk

Chicken egg - not so clear white and a less bright yolk

duck

chicken

duck

chicken

cracked duck egg - thick shell

duck egg on the left, chicken egg on the right (with the broken yolk)

duck egg on left, chicken egg on right - duck yolk is darker

Jet gives her approval

So does Tavarish

Yes, there is a taste difference, but I couldn't tell you which was a better flavor. Jeff thought the chicken egg had more flavor.
Flavor will change with the duck egg depending on what I feed them, maybe I'll start giving them chocolate :lol



And we have no idea which duck it came from, but our guess is either Cadbury or Blue as Blue has been mounting Cadbury in the pool for the last week.
But it was one of these three

 

[gofasterstripe]

Your dogs have been brought up with manners I see...they use the silver ware...mine just lick the plates. Jets photo is classic..OMG i nearly peed laughing. LOVE LOVE LOVE the photos. Now wasnt that fun, I enjoyed it, Thank You. x
And your duck egg made a little heart shape too.