Information on Duck Eggs

Duck eggs can be used to hatch baby ducks, called ducklings, or used as an ingredient in food preparation. Duck eggs are generally larger than chicken eggs and smaller than goose eggs, although the size will vary depending on the breed of duck. The exterior color of the eggs also varies with the duck breed.

  1. Egg Production

    • Sexually mature female ducks, over 7 months of age, will produce eggs when exposed to 14 hours of natural or artificial light. A good flock of meat types of ducks will produce about half as many eggs per day as there are hens in the flock. This type of egg production can continue for up to 5 months, according to the Thepoultrysite.com.

    Gathering Eggs

    • Most duck eggs are laid overnight and gathered around 7 a.m. each day. Gatherers clean eggs by washing in warm water of about 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Eggs destined for incubation are stored at about 55 degrees before transferring to the incubator. Duck eggs intended for food use must be refrigerated.

    Hatching Eggs in an Incubator

    • Incubators are commonly used in commercial hatcheries or larger farms. Eggs are incubated at 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of 55 percent. Most duck breeds hatch in about 4 weeks while some specialized breeds like the Muscovy can take a week longer. Eggs are transferred from the incubator to a hatcher, a larger device designed to allow the ducklings to escape the eggs, about 3 days before the anticipated hatching.

    Hatching Eggs Naturally

    • A cooperative "broody" duck or chicken hen can hatch duck eggs naturally. This process is similar to the nesting process of wild ducks. The duck will sit on 12 to 15 eggs in a nest box of clean straw or other suitable bedding with feed and water close by, according to the website duckhealth.com. The eggs should hatch in about the same time frame as the incubated eggs.

    Cooking with Duck Eggs

    • According to the website newagrarian.com, duck eggs have a different taste than chicken eggs. The flavor also will vary depending on diet of the hen duck. Generally, duck eggs have a higher fat content and a stronger taste than hen's eggs. Many recipes that include duck eggs are designed to take advantage of these characteristics.