Why Arn't Duck Eggs Popular?

[Bettacreek]

I think it's as someone else said... ick factor. They're just not "normal", so they're "gross".
I started out eating only white meat chicken and eggs. I then ventured into dark meat (I absolutely love the drumstick) and finally tried duck meat on the cruise this February. I now have ducks on hold to raise for meat. I really don't like white meat chicken anymore. If I eat it, it's gotta have a LOT of juice and flavor added to it. Otherwise, white meat chicken is drier than a pickled pig fart.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

If no one is selling them in your area then think of it as a vast untapped market!

Now, of course, you'll need to do some educating and convincing that duck eggs are anything special and worth looking for over the easier to find chicken eggs. Free samples can go a long way towards doing that. Cut some egg cartons in half and give half-dozens to folks you think are likely potential customers. It may take a little while, but your market will gradually develop.

.....Alan.

 

[FenDruadin]

Ha ha! Yeah, I was seriously doubtful that there would be a market for them. I wasn't even sure *I* would like them when I first got ducks. But people LOVE them once they've tried them.

If you want to seek a market, there are some great ideas here. Also, see if you can find the chefs in your area--they will understand the benefits of baking with eggs. Asian markets are great too--the Asian markets here sell duck eggs for $1 EACH. So if you have a way to reach that market, you could make a lot there.

 

[truecolorsloft]

The "IDK" Is the big factor locally! I can't tell you how many people ask me if our pigeons can be eaten like chicken, and they are shocked when I tell them that's what "squab" is in the restaurants. Those same people are surprised to find out that you can eat pigeon eggs. LOL! We're currently on out "duck 2.0" project and can't wait to have duck eggs again. The baking is far superior!

What we do with out pigeons/doves, and "special breeds" at swaps is include a little fact sheet about the breed, and it helps them decide to if that breed/product is right for them. Infomation is your best tool is selling duck eggs.

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

I have a friend with egg allergies. She is excited that we have ducks now, and said she has read/been told that people with chicken egg allergies can often eat duck eggs without issue. I've read this same thing, but don't know if there's any "truth" behind it. I suppose it's possible ... people with cow milk allergies can often drink goat milk, right? *dunno* Anyway, I told her to consult her doctor before trying duck eggs.

 

[tia]

I cooked my students breakfast one morning. We had french toast made with duck eggs. They loved it and all had seconds. I have been eating some of mine and giving the rest away. I can't eat them fast enough. There are some people over at the senior center that just love them, so I take some over there. I have been giving some to the parents of the students I teach, and fellow teachers, and others in the community that have a taste for them.

 

[cindyschicks]

I finally got some Moscovy ducks at a local swap on Sunday. The three hens graced me with 6 eggs the first 2 days. Two were laid in the travel crate on the way home from the swap.

So last night I decided I would scramble up three duck eggs to see the difference. My daughter and I cracked and scrambled very carefully not wanting to miss any of the differences (i.e. thicker shell and membrane, bigger more rich egg yolk, etc.)

I was not sure how I was going to like it and my daughter wasn't even interested in trying it, but WOW it was soo good. My daughter even tried them and pronounced them very edible, better than our chicken eggs.

I am now looking forward to my Khaki Campbells growing up so I can have eggs from them too! Not expecting much from my Calls though.

 

[Eggs4Sale]

We have 4 Cayuga ducklings arriving in a few days (through the mail, not walking down the road or taking a taxi, that would be weird) and this is our second batch of ducks. The first batch was a novelty. The feed store had ducklings, the kids cried "CUTENESS!!!!!", boom, 4 drakes wandering single-file around the yard. I had been of the opinion that if you don't own a pond or lake, why would you have ducks? I'm still not entirely sure why (4 drakes don't give me much to rave about), but I hope to be enlightened soon.

I think the scene from 'A Christmas Story', the Christmas dinner at the Chinese restaurant, was about as far as most people's duck awareness goes.

 

[katharinad]

I think chickens have become so common, because they are easier to keep in mass egg production cages. Plus the cages are easier to keep clean with chicken poo instead of the duck mess we all know. Then economical figures also come to play. Who eats less and produces more? The chicken! The list may go on and on. Then you hear stories about salmonella in duck eggs. Well the hole story comes from a case where some one collected eggs in the wild and got sick. Who knows how old the eggs were? But stories like that sit in people's brain and are sometimes hard to correct. In general ducks are less prone to illnesses and they do not need medicated feed etc. I'm mainly talking about mass production chickens, not the little home flock. See Holderread's book about ducks. That is something people should hear. You want organic and medication free eggs? Ducks may be your better choice. I bet most chicken egg buyers have no idea when it comes to duck or chicken eggs. They only see a cute duck on a pond, and the noisy chicken next door. Next ask what is wrong with eating duck eggs? We don't only eat chicken eggs, but some even eat "gourmet" quail eggs at a hefty price. I bet a good talk and perhaps a sample is all needed to convince buyers. I, personally, had it with commercial chicken eggs. We are on duck eggs now. As for hubby. Don't ask, just eat and tell me how good it tastes.

Katharina

 

[LittleSquidgenHome]

We use duck eggs in everything. Most people get a yuck face when told that duck eggs were used and then opt not to eat them. I just stopped telling people a long time ago that we use duck eggs. Everyone knows we have ducks and we dont buy chicken eggs anymore but they still seem to think that I buy them to make breads or cakes for them, which I sooooo do not. I have noticed that if I do not tell folk that we use duck eggs they will happily eat whatever we provide and then AFTER if they happen to hear there were duck eggs in it, they are pleasantly surprised. One of our friends is so happy we have ducks as she is allergic to chicken eggs and cant eat them, but she LOVES eggs.

My husband was very apprehensive of duck eggs in the beginning, Now, some odd years later, he is perfectly happy to eat them fried, hard boiled, poached, in cookies or cakes, what have you. He is even EXCITED to try the goose eggs, when we get our geese and they start laying. He is not fond of scrambled suck eggs, but then again we aren't terribly fond of scrambled eggs in general around here.

The only people I have encountered who are full on all about duck eggs are my friend who is allergic to chicken eggs, and my immediate family and sister in law. We grew up eating duck eggs, so for my parents and siblings it is like old hat. And my sister in law also grew up eating duck eggs, of course she also eats duck feet and chicken feet so it is not really a surprise that she is food adventurous.

I mean it is not like we are trying to get people to eat Balute or anything. Fresh duck eggs are simply eggs.