Raising Ducks For Eggs

[airedale]

Been quite a few years since I have had any Ducks here on the farm and I have been seriously thinking about getting up a small flock for both eggs and meat. I actually prefer Duck eggs over Chicken eggs and love a roasted Duck to eat.

Khaki Campbells are the breed I lean toward as they are the best egg layers and are of a medium size, I would not mind having a few Runners also, they are pretty scrawny as far as eating, but they are close to the Campbells when it comes to laying eggs, their stance and posture reminds me of a Penguin.

The downside of Ducks are they can be messy, so their living area has to be well thought out.

Al

[First-light]

I had ducks for a few years. Eggs were the best! 

[Doc]

We had ducks years ago. The darn things became pets. They used to follow me around. Butchering time was not pleasant. We also had rabbits, chickens and goats. Yeah, we got caught up in that farming thing that everyone gets into out here in the country. It worked good for my two boys. They had chores to do, and they learned about responsibility and actually doing something for their allowance.

[fasteddie]

I remember when I was a kid many many years ago we were told not to name your animals . It become difficult at butcher time When you have to Kill Betsy , Drake , Porky , etc ..

[airedale]

The butchering of livestock can be tough for sure as the animals can become pets.

Al

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The most noticeable difference in physical appearance between the eggs is the size of the eggs.

A duck egg can be 50–100% larger than an average-sized chicken egg. Thus, eating one duck egg is like eating one and a half or two chicken eggs.

As with chicken eggs, the color of duck eggs varies based on the breed and diet of the duck, the environment it’s raised in, and its genetics (3Trusted Source).

Many duck eggs have white shells, but they also come in shades of pale gray, green, black, and blue.

The yolks also differ in both size and color. While the yolks of chicken eggs are usually a pale or bright yellow, duck egg yolks are a deeper shade of golden orange. Compared with a chicken yolk, a duck yolk tends to appear more vibrant.

Duck egg yolks are also larger, partly because duck eggs are generally larger than chicken eggs.

Taste

The vibrant yolk of a duck egg not only looks bold, but some people think it gives the egg a richer flavor as well. People often describe duck egg yolks as tasting creamier than chicken egg yolks.

Overall, duck eggs and chicken eggs taste similar. However, the flavor of duck eggs may be more intense than that of chicken eggs.

Summary

Duck eggs tend to be 50–100% larger than chicken eggs. They also have a deep orange yolk that people often say is much richer and creamier than chicken egg yolk.

Nutritional comparison

Duck eggs and chicken eggs both have impressive nutritional profiles.

The comparison chart below highlights the most notable nutrients in each.

Here are the nutritional profiles for 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of cooked duck and chicken eggs (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).

Duck eggChicken egg

Calories223149

Protein12 grams10 grams

Fat18.5 grams11 grams

Carbs1.4 grams1.6 grams

Fiber0 grams0 grams

Cholesterol276% of the Daily Value (DV)92% of the DV

Choline36% of the DV40% of the DV

Copper6% of the DV7% of the DV

Folate14% of the DV9% of the DV

Iron20% of the DV7% of the DV

Pantothenic acid–24% of the DV

Phosphorus16% of the DV13% of the DV

Riboflavin28% of the DV29% of the DV

Selenium62% of the DV43% of the DV

Thiamine10% of the DV3% of the DV

Vitamin A23% of the DV18% of the DV

Vitamin B615% of the DV8% of the DV

Vitamin B12168% of the DV32% of the DV

Vitamin D8% of the DV9% of the DV

Vitamin E13% of the DV8% of the DV

Zinc12% of the DV9% of the DV

[First-light]

Great to bake with. 

[Doc]

How does duck egg production compare to chicken egg production? Anybody know?

[airedale]

There are breeds that are raised specifically for egg production, the two breeds mentioned above both are pretty prolific when it comes to eggs with the Khaki Cambells holding the edge.

Edited 4 hours ago by airedale

[landtracdeerhunter]

Years ago, I always raised a couple hundred Muscovy  ducks for both egg and meat production. At the time they were the only duck on the market where the meat wasn't greasy. Egg production slowed in the late summer, even though I would pump the protein to them. Selling duck eggs were slow on the market; but the meat flew off the tables.