Samantha a Drake??? fertilized eggs question

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

So today as I was petting and preening my sweet tolouse goose, Geraldine, I was watching my 5 ducks wandering around and I suddenly noticed that Samantha, my buff Duck has a curled tail feather!!! I ordered her from the hatchery as a female, and though they have a 95% gender identity rate, it looks like I have a drake after all. Is it at all possible that its still a girl with this stinking cruled feather, or is it definately a boy and now I should expect fertilized eggs?

I have been suspicious about Samantha before because of her different voice and unusual size and ring around her neck, but I trusted that my gender selected girls was a girl. I'm a little dissapointed that I will have 150-200 fewer eggs a year now.

Do other people eat fertilized duck eggs, is there any difference? Is it helpful to even have this duck if its a drake, or should I swap it for a egg layer? Maybe now I can get my chickens this spring since i'll be getting fewer eggs with a drake. UGH!

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

You can eat fertizded duck eggs. I have been. And yes there is a good reason to have a drake, but the only good reason is to have fertile eggs to sell/hatch. But other wise..... No. if you dont care about hatching eggs and selling/keeping the ducklings, then get rid of him.

 

[GrannyCarol]

Are the girls the same breed? You don't see a lot of Buff ducks out there, there may be a market for fertile eggs or ducklings. Just a thought.

 

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

I got 2 different breeds, 2 hybrids and 2 different colors of one breed because I never intended to breed my ducks, I just wanted to eat eggs. I don't know if I have the heart to get rid of him (I think he is my prettiest and softest duck, and he is my husband's favorite), or the room to get another, or the desire to raise more-its such an ordeal. I don't want to encourage crossbreeding either, because I would never keep all the ducklings and I wouldn't want other people to have crossbred ducks. I just don't know what I'll do yet.

are fertilized eggs better nutrient wise, what is the benefit of eating them vs unfertilized?

 

[Eris]

There is no nutritional difference. As long as they are fresh, the only difference literally is 1 extra cell.