Chicken Eggs vs Duck Eggs

Almost everyone is familiar with chicken eggs, but what about duck eggs? What’s the difference between duck and chicken eggs? And how do duck eggs compare to the incredible, edible, chicken egg?

Chicken Eggs vs Duck Eggs

Chicken eggs are the most consumed eggs all around the world. It's good, it's healthy, it's easy. But some people, out of curiosity or nutritional reason, might be interested in trying some other type of eggs, like duck eggs. Switching to duck eggs can give your boring breakfast routine a refreshing change.

At our little homestead, we raise both ducks and chickens. Initially, the ducks were not bought for their egg producing abilities but rather as just a fun addition. Ducks really are funny animals.

We pleasantly surprised when we found the first duck egg hidden in the coup.

Here are some fast facts about Chicken Eggs vs Duck Eggs.

How Do Duck Eggs Compare to Chicken Eggs?

Pros of the Duck Egg

People who have an allergy to chicken eggs can often eat duck eggs with no ill effects. This is because the proteins in duck and chicken eggs are slightly different. Anyone with a severe egg allergy should always check with your doctor first before you experiment with eggs to make sure this is a safe substitution for you.

These eggs have a thicker shell. This tends to give them a longer shelf-life than chicken eggs.

Duck eggs are about 50% larger than even jumbo chicken eggs. A rough comparison is 2 duck eggs = 3 chicken eggs.

They also contain more albumen than chicken eggs. This is the big bonus for us bakers! More albumen gives your pastries and other baked goods more structure and a higher lift. Cakes and other pastries come out fluffier and lighter than with chicken eggs.

Cons of the Duck Egg

The thicker shell on these eggs does make them harder to crack. This means you need a little practice to get a clean crack and avoid bits of shell falling into whatever you are making.

Duck eggs are more expensive than chicken eggs on the market. They can cost up to $1 per egg, while chicken eggs average under .25 a piece.

They are not as easy to find as chicken eggs. While some upscale stores such as Whole Foods are starting to carry them, they are not as readily available as mass-produced chicken eggs.

Check out how to tell if your eggs have been fertilized!

Overall chicken eggs are probably a better every day bet for most people. Mainly because of the cost and limited availability of duck egg. Have you ever seen a carton of duck eggs at the market? Certainly not in my little town.

But if you see duck eggs at the local farmers market take a chance and grab a carton or two. Come back and let me know what you think!

Read: 15 Things to Know Before Getting Chickens