You Can Eat Duck Eggs?

Sure can! And not only that, they. are. delicious. I’ve been asked this question quite a few times since we got ducks a few years ago. I don’t know why it shocks people that you can eat duck eggs. I guess they just equate edible eggs to chickens. I’ve even had some people say, “Yuck. I would never eat those.” To which I reply, “Your loss!” Duck eggs are very very much like chicken eggs. In fact, if you scramble them, those skeptics can’t even taste the difference. (We’ve tried this experiment.)

But, let’s go over a few ways duck eggs differ from chicken eggs.

• They’re fluffier.

  Scrambled, fried, really prepared any way, duck eggs have the best consistency. The only word I can think to describe it is fluffy. Not like cotton candy fluffy. More like cake fluffy. They’re just soft and flavorful to the palette.

• They’re heartier.

  Just because they are fluffy doesn’t mean they’re not rich and wholesome. They’ll fill you up for sure. That’s because they are bigger than chicken eggs. It takes less duck eggs to feed a family breakfast than chicken eggs.

• They have more beneficial nutrients than chicken eggs.

  These larger eggs contain more of the good nutrients than chicken eggs because well, they’re larger. They have more protein, more concentrated omega-3s, are higher in vitamin-D and contain more choline, a vitamin-like essential nutrient which may play a role in liver disease, atherosclerosis, and possibly neurological disorders. Because duck eggs are larger, they also contain more fat, cholesterol and calories. As with anything, if you consume within moderation, it’s totally fine. And because they are larger, you don’t have to eat as many to fill you up anyway.

• They make an amazing deviled egg.

  Okay, so this isn’t the end-all-be-all, but it’s true. I take deviled eggs to every party now. People don’t know that they are eating duck eggs, and they are ALWAYS ranting and raving over our deviled eggs. They want to know how we make them so creamy and delicious. Secret Recipe: the eggs come from our ducks.

• They’re plentiful.

  Our ducks lay eggs every single day. Not every duck lays every day, but there has not been one day that we haven’t gone into the duck coop and come out empty handed. Even in the cold months when the chickens’ production ceases, we are inundated with duck eggs. Now if you can’t keep your own backyard ducks, duck eggs are difficult to find and can be expensive, but if you can have ducks in your backyard, I definitely recommend it. They are highly entertaining creatures with so much personality. ( Check your local animal ordinances before you jump into ducks. Ours require at least 2 acres to own a duck which I think is ridiculous because they only require 1 acre for horses. )

Most everyone knows duck eggs are great for baking, but they really are delicious in so many other ways too. If you do use them for baking, make sure you think the conversion from chicken eggs through. We honestly are egg snobs now. We give away our chicken eggs and only eat the duck eggs, and don’t even think about us eating eggs from the store. They cannot compare to the fresh goodness that our duck eggs have. So, there you have it. Next time you’re offered duck eggs, don’t turn your nose up. Give it a try. They still taste just like chicken eggs. They’re just better.