Taste of Duck Eggs

[Buxton Ducks]

My ducks don't have access to a pond but have a clean kiddie pool in the summer and fresh grass. They eat chicken layer pellets and cracked corn occasionally. The eggs taste almost exactly the same to me and everybody who buys them from me. I have enjoyed their large size and good fresh taste so much, I got less chickens and more ducks! I tried duck eggs years ago from a flock who lived on a farm pond; It was fishy tasting and disgusting. I have no idea whether that has any bearing but my eggs are wonderful (the make nice fluffy pastries as well). By the way, I have Pekin, Rouen, Swedish, and Runner.

 

[LightningTFarm]

I have Welsh Harlequins, and had never tasted a duck egg before mine started laying earlier this year. But now, my whole family is totally hooked on duck eggs and will never go back to the dark side!! My girls swim in a kiddie pool and eat Purina chicken feed mixed with some whole oats and black oil sunflower seeds. So, they don't eat fish which means no yucky fishy eggs. I give them free choice oyster shell instead of feeding a layer feed, which would be very bad for my drake.

I eat the duck eggs fried all the time - the secret is to cook them over a much lower temp than chicken eggs. That way they are tender and delicious. The flavor is much richer than a chicken's egg, even the free-range chicken eggs our neighbors used to give us. Since they are so large, if I boil them I put them in water to cover them by about an inch, then put on the fire. Once the water starts to boil I cover the pot and remove it from the heat. I set the timer for 15 minutes, and when it goes off I drain the eggs and then put them in ice water. This makes it easier to peel them. When I boil chicken eggs, I only let them sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. FYI - using older eggs for boiling makes them peel much easier (whether chicken eggs or duck eggs). For baking, there is no comparison to duck eggs. Cakes made with them taste so much richer and better.

And, duck eggs are more nutritious than chicken eggs. Why does anybody eat chicken eggs, I wonder?

 

[davidda16]

I have pekin,rouen and black swedish ducks and eat all the eggs, not much difference in taste to chicken eggs but more creamier and slightly different texture,have not bought an egg in nearly a year

 

[jjdward]

I have only had two breeds of ducks, KC and Swedish both of which laid great tasting eggs!! I didn't notice that much of difference between chicken/duck eggs, but that may just be me. I had a great aunt who made her living off her homemade cakes and pies that would ONLY use duck eggs. I will tell you from experience that her cakes were the best I have ever put in my mouth!!

I sure miss aunt Ruth and her red velvet cakes!!!!

 

[ducks4ever]

Does anyone know about WH eggs if they are any good to eat and if so what is the best way to eat them

 

[JoyAnna]

I don't know about WH eggs specifically, but I think what they are fed probably has more to do with taste than breed. My two Anaconas are now giving me two eggs every day and I have never enjoyed eating eggs this much before. I feed them Scratch & Peck which is all organic and certified GMO-free. Tonight I had two soft fried (add a tiny bit of water and cover) with low heat, along with some hash-browns. Hard boiled are a real treat and quiche is just wonderful.

 

[rubberduckies]

When in doubt put the egg in a bowl of water. If it floats to the top, it's bad.

I agree that what the ducks (or chickens) eat changes the tast of the egg. Just like with the meat.

WH eggs can be eaten just like other duck eggs. They actually produce 240-330 eggs per year. That's right up there with the Khaki Campbell's 250-340 per year. I have Pekin, Rouen, and Runners but WH is on my wish list.

 

[hehahn]

Duck eggs can last six weeks in the fridge. They have longer storage life than chicken eggs due to the thicker shell. We wash ours well then dry and apply a light wiping of cooking oil before refrigeration. The oil keeps fridge odors from getting through the shell once you've washed away the natural coating.

Good to know about the cooking oil.

 

[hehahn]

Does anyone know about WH eggs if they are any good to eat and if so what is the best way to eat them

Hey! Welcome to BYC. Lots of good stuff here

I think they are probably pretty similar to most other duck eggs in that because of the extra omega-3 fatty acids they are denser and because of the difference you shouldn't cook them at too high a heat too fast. So in boiling and baking you won't notice a difference (better for baked goods), but in fried and scrambled you'd need to lower the heat or they tend to get rubbery.

I'm still waiting for my ladies to lay, so I can't talk about taste just yet.

Good luck!

 

[Ceilismom]

Does anyone know about WH eggs if they are any good to eat and if so what is the best way to eat them

I've got an assorted flock of WH, Cayuga, Buff, and Blue Swedish ducks. I can't say that I can tell the difference in the eggs (other than the Cayugas which lay grey eggs) either visually or by taste. I've baked with them and been happy with the results, and I've mixed them 50/50 with chicken eggs for scrambling and my family didn't notice the difference.