Question about duck eggs

[EeyoreD]

Ok so this is my first spring with ducks and while I have my two sitting on about 11 eggs each I have an abundance of eggs. After I waited for broodiness and stuffed them under the ducks I cooked some up (hard boiled).

Oh
My
God

I always thought my pastured chicken eggs were velvety but these duck eggs (they're Muscovies) are incredible. The whites might be slightly too firm for egg salad sammiches but for potato salad or deviled eggs or whatever the whites would be great (and easier to peel) and the yolks, even when well-cooked, are pliable and velvet not crumbly.

Are all duck eggs like this? If so I'm ditching my chickens and getting laying ducks. I've LOVED my chicken eggs but these surplus scovie eggs are... luxurious. Firm, not crumbly, versatile, roll your eyes back in your head satisfying.

But I wonder if it's just the muscovy eggs that are like this and the year-round layers are going to be more like my existing chickens.

 

[binza1979]

Duck eggs are wonderful!

I miss my ducks.

 

[bigtrout]

I have pekins...khakis...welsh harlequin and a few welsh/khaki mixes...all great layers.

Their eggs are as creamy as u describe the muscovy eggs...plus my ducks all lay like crazy. Try baking with the duck eggs...cakes poof up higher and taste much richer.

Despite having 15 laying ducks all going full tilt right now...i can not keep up with egg demand. Everyone who tries them ends up as a repeat customer. I added another 4 females a month ago and am trying my hand at a group of 8 runners...when they crank up I may be abke to keep up with demand.

So with a resounding yes...duck eggs are the bomb!!!

 

[EeyoreD]

Oh awesome! That settles it, I'm totally getting laying ducks. Now, what kind...

I like the look of the runners, but I've heard they just lay wherever they feel like it and since my birds are pastured with no fencing, lots of ponds, marshland and woods I fear I'll never find the eggs (also worried they won't herd into the coop at night)

 

[Quack Addict]

Go with Welsh Harlequins. Great layers, great temperament, will go broody if you let them and are just plain pretty ducks.

Tried baking with duck eggs the first time the other day. Made brownies that are moister and richer than the same recipe using chicken eggs. From now on it duck eggs all the way for baking.

 

[EeyoreD]

Are they good foragers?

And I bet duck eggs would be great in baking. I've used goose eggs before with awesome results but I bet duck eggs will be easier because not all recipes call for eggs in multiples of 3 (the things are massive)

 

[Quack Addict]

Quote:
From Metzers: "The Welsh Harlequin is a fairly new breed, developed by Leslie Bonnett in Wales from two off-colored Khaki Campbell ducklings in 1949. They came to the United States in 1968 and were accepted into the American Poultry Association in 2001 in the Light Duck class. They are becoming a very popular breed due to their multipurpose characteristics. They have excellent egg production abilities due to their Khaki Campbell background yet retain the instinct to sit and hatch a nest full of ducklings. They are calm, inquisitive and excellent foragers. They seem to be the calmest bird on our farm. They can also make an outstanding dressed bird as their under-feathers are almost exclusively white making their carcass as pretty as a pure white bird. Interestingly, they can be sexed after hatching with 90% accuracy by their bill color. Darker bills mean a male and lighter bills ending in a dark spot are normally females. Within several days this distinction disappears. They are also a beautiful bird, especially the feather patterns and colors on the adult females. "

 

[ducksinarow]

According to mother earth news" The “elite” foraging group includes the Dutch Hook Bill, Indian Runner, Campbell, Australian Spotted, Mini Appleyard and Silky Duck.
The “excellent” foraging class consists of the Welsh Harlequin, Magpie, Ancona, Bali, East Indie and female Muscovy.
The “good” foraging category includes the Cayuga, Crested, Call, Swedish, Orpington (often called Buff Ducks), Appleyard, Saxony and production or farm-type Rouen.
In the “fair” foraging division are the Pekin, Aylesbury, exhibition-type Rouen and male Muscovy."


Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/Natural-Pest-Control-Ducks.aspx?page=2#ixzz2QkhUH6AL

Campbell ducks the best egg layer of all the ducks up to 350 a year. However with all this egg laying they are not known for being broody. I just hatched 5 in the incubator from my quad. They are so much friendlier than the ones I got from Rural King. WH might be a little calmer than Campbells but I love mine anyway.

 

[bigtrout]

All ducks herd easily...after they learn the routine...mine actually come in same time every day to have a snack before bed in their house so the breed doesnt matter. Runners...welshes...khakis...appleyards...anconas and magpies are the best layers...my pekins are close behind...while they are not quite an egg a day they are close and the eggs are huge.
My take on breeds...welshes calm and sweet...fairly quiet...great layer....khakis are more high strung but that also means they forage alot more. My pekins are the most comical ducks and are also the most "petlike". Runners remains to be seen because this is my first stab at them

 

[EeyoreD]

Thanks, all, for the info!

All ducks herd easily...after they learn the routine...

My scovies make a liar out of you. They just fly off a little ways and laugh their Muttley-like laugh at my efforts. I ultimately gave up and let them decide where they want to sleep. Sometimes it's in the coop, sometimes it's on my truck (or under it), sometimes it's in the pond. Course they can fly and fly well if something decides to go after them and have done fine for the last year. The runners... probably not so much.

I'm leaning toward khakis (because of the nervousness and foraging), I haven't ruled out the WH though, but if I need broodies I have the scovies and the geese. But I just can't seem to get over how the runners look...