Chicken Eggs vs. Duck Eggs

In recent year, many folks have taken more of an interest in where their food comes from and the quality of that food. This phenomenon can be seen in the increase of backyard chicken keeping. There is nothing like collecting your own eggs! You know how the animal is raised, what it has consumed, and you can see and taste the difference in the quality of those eggs.

But what about duck eggs? Duck eggs are not as readily available as homegrown chicken eggs. While many folks raise their own chickens or purchase eggs at farmers markets, duck eggs are still a “rarity.” But why? Ducks are actually quieter then chickens and have been a wonderful addition to our backyard flock. Not to mention they are more consistent in laying. And ducks don’t scratch up your lawn like chickens do. Of course they will walk over your plants and flowers with their big floppy feet. Why go around when you can just go over?

But what are the real differences in chicken and duck eggs?

Chickens

Chicken eggs are the best-known, most consumed eggs in the world.  And average chicken egg is about 70 grams. Chicken eggs have more water content then duck eggs.


Ducks

Ducks lay larger eggs than chickens. The average weight of a duck egg is about 130 grams. The shells of duck eggs are thicker and not as easily broken as a chicken egg. And while duck eggs may be higher in cholesterol then a chicken egg, they contain HDL cholesterol which is “good” cholesterol. The higher fat content of duck eggs also makes they wonderful for baking with.
Since duck eggs and chicken eggs come out different weights, trying to compare their nutritional vales can get a little crazy (especially if you try googling information!) It is almost like comparing apples and oranges. Thankfully the chart above, that I made for you, breaks down the nutritional values on the same amount of each type of egg. It is nice to be able to see a side by side comparison. 
Duck eggs might have a few more calories and fat, but those fats contain good fats. And while the cholesterol numbers on duck eggs might make you gasp, remember they have HDL cholesterol which is “good” cholesterol. Duck eggs are also higher in iron! Good to know if you suffer from anemia like I do.
Cooking the eggs
Duck and chicken eggs vary somewhat when it comes to cooking. I love using duck eggs in my baking.  Duck eggs contain more albumen, which gives them more structure, creating very light, fluffy, and rich baked goods. 
Some say duck eggs have a richer flavor, which can be a positive or negative depending on your tastes. I can honestly say, I don’t really notice the difference in flavor, other then they actually have flavor, unlike store bought eggs. My hubby, the foodie, can sometimes detect the difference. When it comes to the flavor of your eggs though, it really does depend on what the bird is eating.
When I scramble duck eggs vs. chicken eggs, the only real difference I notice is that you have to be careful with duck eggs because if you over cook scrambled duck eggs, they can get a little rubbery. The same holds true with hard-boiled duck eggs. Duck eggs are great but maybe not as forgiving as chicken eggs.
We love sharing our eggs with folks!
I couldn’t imagine not having duck eggs in our fridge for baking purposes or for when the chickens are on strike. So, which egg should you choose? Well that really depends on you! If you love to bake, I would highly suggest trying to get your hands on duck eggs. If you just want scrambled eggs, go for the chicken eggs. Either way, you can’t go wrong with homegrown quality.

13 thoughts on “Chicken Eggs vs. Duck Eggs

  1. Thanks for this article!! It was very interesting! Now I want ducks AND chickens! We have an HOA…..so the farm animals will have to be in my dreams. And I'll live vicariously through you! Dona

    1. Like I said, ducks ARE quieter then chickens. It took people in my little town almost a year to realize we had them LOL

  2. Wow…so interesting! 🙂

    I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/

    Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!

  3. Thanks for this great information! It's interesting to see the differences between the eggs and I can see why chicken eggs evolved to be the major commerical egg over duck eggs. I'd be curious to try them though, I'll have to keep my eyes peeled. Thanks for sharing on the Waste Less Wednesday Blog Hop!

  4. Really great information here! I've been considering trying ducks. This will be good info if I go through with it this spring. 🙂

  5. We got ducks for the first time this year, and I've really been enjoying baking with their eggs.

  6. This is interesting as I eat both duck and chicken eggs and people often ask me abut the difference. I find duck eggs make the best meringues – they are so silky. #WasteLEssWednesday

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