What do you do with your duck eggs? Keep? Sell? Hatch?

[LilDucky85]

My ducks just started laying eggs December 18, 2009! The ironic thing is my sisters boyfriend borrowed my incubator a week before they started laying, so I cant even hatch my first eggs! They have never even incubated anything before. They are attempting to incubate lizard eggs for the first time which take 3 months to incubate! Grr! I now have 19 eggs [plus more from today, but I havent checked the duck house yet] that I dont know what to do with. I hoped to give them out locally but I cant find anyone near me! People have asked me to ship them out but I'm weary about doing that. I'm waiting for the shipping boxes I ordered just in case I decide to try it.

I was wondering what you do with your eggs? Do you sell them, hatch them, or eat them? I cant bring myself to eat them. It just doesnt seem right. Maybe I will be able to in the future but right now I just cant bring myself to do it.

 

[toletiquesbysam]

I don't have a male duck so my eggs aren't fertile, so I sell them just like my chicken eggs for others to Eat! I get $3 a dozen for the duck eggs and $2 for my chicken eggs. I have quite a few customers who only will buy the duck eggs!

 

[savingdogs]

I don't have any answers for you but I'm also interested in the answer. I'd like to get ducks but I need my livestock to somewhat ATTEMPT to pay for themselves somehow.

How do you find a market for your duck eggs? I've heard bakeries like them but how do you establish a relationship with a bakery....word of mouth?

While I eat chicken eggs, my allergist says I'm allergic to them so I'd like to have a self-sustaining duck to supply some eggs for my own omeletts and rocky mountain toast.

 

[msdoolittle]

I eat most of em! And, yes, the are fertile. I was a little weirded out by eating fertile eggs at one time, but no longer. The only difference is one has a 'dot' and the other has a 'donut', lol.

Anyway, as far as using them to bake with, they are very rich and are great for any recipe. I have scrambled them, fried them, and baked with them. I prefer them 100 times to a chicken egg, as far as taste/richness. My ducks are free range, but they do mostly eat grain and pellets. The flavor of the eggs is just as neutral as a chicken egg, but much more rich. I haven't ever had any with any 'off' flavors.

As far as selling them, different states have different laws regarding that, so I'd just check into that first. (I do sell to friends and family, I admit, hee hee)

 

[froggie71]

We have sold, kept and have eaten (baking is awesome with duck eggs!), incubated and have let some of the ducks try hatching some of their own eggs. No plans to hatch anymore till spring though.

 

[nivtup]

Eat them, give them away as free samples to people who like to bake, they will come back for more. Make sure they understand the free sample concept when you gift the first batch (6 is enough to hook them) and let them know what the price per dozen will be in the future.

I personally woould not hatch any for a few months. They are so messy to brood. The sooner you can get them outside the better.


Enjoy.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

The reason I initially got ducks was to have their eggs for baking. That's why I chose Khaki Campbells, which are supposed to be the best layers. We all notice & appreciate the difference the duck eggs make in all doughs & batters that use eggs. They're good & rich, their whites are denser, so everything tastes rich & has more loft. They're good in pancakes & waffles, in French Toast, and quiches.

I have to sell eggs to help pay the feed bill. I've found it just takes time & effort to get the word out and eventually, hopefully, you'll find just enough customers as you have eggs to supply. I have some folks who want the duck eggs because they have chicken-egg allergies, others just prefer them for baking & etc. Many commercial bakers, even small-scale ones, are not willing to pay any extra for duck eggs. But sometimes I'll get calls from people doing a special meal that need duck eggs.

I can also sell duck eggs for hatching since they're fertile. I've sold some to local folks & also on BYC. And I've hatched some here by setting them under broody chicken hens, and also a couple of the Khaki hens went broody.

 

[tia]

Should you tell people if they are fertile. I have people that want to try some of mine, I was thinking because they just started laying that they probably weren't fertile, but have been told different. I don't imagine people would know the difference. I had a hard time getting myself to try them and finally scrambled up a few... I used some to bake some brownies... and I think a prefer them for baking. I was going to ask at the local health food store if they would sell some. I got a huge one today... I would also be interested in what people have to say about what to do with them.

 

[LilDucky85]

Quote:
Yeah I kept saying I'm not hatching any until Spring, but then I kinda got the hatching bug again. Its so tempting when they are right there in front of you! I know Im going to wait, but its just ironic that when I get my own eggs someone else has my incubator. I know how messy they are, trust me! I had 8 of 9 (one died during hatching) and then 3 of 6 wild Mallards (2 died during hatching). By 3 weeks I couldng wait to get the first batch in the garage. With the second batch, I had to get them outside to the garage by a week old!

 

[LilDucky85]

Quote:
I cant remember, is it a dot or a circle that means they are fertile?


Yes I do tell people they are fertile.


What is Rocky Mountain Toast??