I wrote about How to Add Ducks or Geese to Your Flock last year. While it was fun for a season, I couldn’t deal with the mess of ducks. Maybe I just didn’t have a good setup for them, maybe they intimidated me a little bit. Either way, the purpose of this blog article is to compare and contrast the two different types of eggs. I am not an expert in duck eggs and honestly didn’t do much cooking or baking with them when we did have them, so I gathered some good info for you from www.thefreerangelife.com! They have a great article that really lays out the comparisons and differences.

Let’s start with the number of eggs each bird lays per year. Taking into consideration it depends on the different breeds, the average duck lays up to 300 eggs a year and the average chicken will lay up to 250 each year. Most do not lay quite that many and again depends on the breed and winter light.

Duck eggs are quite a bit larger than chicken eggs. You can use 2 duck eggs as opposed to 3 chicken eggs. Duck eggs are higher in omega-3s as well as protein. They have a thicker shell and have a longer shelf life. Ducks put a waxy waterproof protective layer on their eggs called a bloom. Since they are near water often, this special coating protects the eggs. Chickens have a bloom on their eggs as well, but it is not waterproof. On either egg, if you wash this protective layer off, you must refrigerate the eggs.

As far as taste goes, some people say duck eggs are a bit creamier or richer. This is due to the higher fat content of the yolk. A lot of people love to bake with duck eggs because they bring more to the baking table. Using duck eggs in baking allows your treats to rise a bit higher and are a little more fluffy and light. The larger egg white provides more protein which causes this to happen.

Duck eggs are harder to come by because they’re not raised commercially. If you can find a local farmer or homesteader, maybe you can ask them for some duck eggs. It’s always fun to try something new!

Ducks are amazing birds and there is nothing cuter than a duckling! We have had a couple fun ducks, but I always keep going back to my chickens. Their personalities bring something so special to our backyard. So, for me? If I have to use 3 chicken eggs instead of 2 duck eggs, it’s worth it! Haha

Until next time,

–The Wing Lady