Between our chickens, geese and ducks, our egg production has been eggs-ceptional! (Sorry, that was bad.)
For comparison of sizes, the eggs across the top of above photo are from our chickens. The two on the left of the bottom row are from ducks, and the big honker, next to the avocado to give an idea of size, is a goose egg.
Goose eggs are . . . great, big eggs!
I fried the goose egg this morning. The skillet it's in measures 10" across. The yolk is a full 3" across. Wouldn't it be fun to dye some goose eggs for Easter? What about making deviled eggs with them? Gollywampus!
We currently have 3 female geese and the egg shown is the first one we've gotten this year. The 4 female ducks have gone into production in a big way, and for the past week or so we've been getting three or four duck eggs each day. The 13 female chickens, not wanting to be called slackers, are giving us 10 to 12 eggs a day.
If this keeps up, I may find it profitable to put a stand out at the end of our driveway and start selling eggs.
20 comments:
That goose egg is amazing! WOW.
Is there much of a taste difference between duck, goose, and chicken eggs? -Jenn
When I had geese, I would blow out the eggs using one of those single-hole egg blowers. Then I would squirt a bit of bleach/water solution into the egg using the same blower, shake it really well, and blow out the liquid. I sold the egg shells for $1 each or $10 per dozen. They went like hotcakes right before Easter!
Those goose egg whites will sure make a lot of meringue!
Or you could preserve them for winter time. There is a way you can do it in a bucket with a liquid mixture. I can't remember the ingredient off the top of my head. I have seen some people dehydrate them, but I'm not sure if that is totally safe. I wish I was getting those eggs. We are in a low again.
That goose egg is huge! Do they taste like chicken eggs? I have a "thing" about eggs. I had an experience with a farm egg a few years back. It was half egg half unformed chick. And I made boiled eggs one day oblivious until I cracked the shell. Gag. So...fast forward to today and I have a hard time eating eggs more than twice a year. But when we move to our land, I desperately want laying chickens. Dilemma! Oh and by the way, I made your linguine casserole last night. Amazing!!! :)
Heehee, I thought the last one was an emu egg - and I was so jealous! My ducks are not laying yet. I think they are on strike until I clean out their chalet. I will - once I can dig it out. What a beautiful array of eggs! I have never eaten a goose egg - it is a beautiful and amazing thing in that frying pan... :)
Anna - And they feel very heavy, too.
Jenn - I think it's a personal taste. Papa Pea and I are in agreement on this. Duck eggs have a stronger, richer flavor which we don't care for. But they're wonderful for baking. Goose eggs have a "fluffier" less dense white but the yolk tastes like a chicken egg to us. Our daughter doesn't see much difference between the chicken and duck eggs. So there you are!
Tired Hobby Farmer - What a great idea! I can only imagine how tickled people would be to get them!
Phil - Ha! I never thought about meringue! But you're not doubt totally right about that. I'll bet it would be a very nice meringue, too.
Kristina - Yes, I have been wondering if I should preserve some of them for leaner times. I thought we might be low on them this winter but we never (thankfully) reached that point.
Here's hoping you start getting enough eggs soon!
MrsDM - I gave a brief overview of the flavor of the eggs in reply to Jenn's comment above.
I can fully understand how that experience you had with eggs would put you off of them! A year or so ago, we weren't getting the quantity of eggs we should have. Then hubby found a nest on the chicken house floor covered with straw. It was cold out so he figured the 10-12 eggs would be fine. One morning for breakfast I stir fried some leftover rice with veggies and was going to crack a couple of eggs on top. One of the eggs had been in that nest for WAAAAY too long. You know how a rotten egg smells. I cracked it onto the mixture in the pan. It was the most awful green/black color and the smell . . . ! I actually screamed and he came running down from his office. I think of that every time I crack an egg now. :o/
So, so happy the linguine casserole turned out for you. :o)
Susan - The goose egg was so big, I had to let it over-cook a bit before I could flip it over without tearing it into pieces. Could have used a pizza paddle instead of a regular spatula!!
That goose egg is huge!! And with that many chickens and ducks you couldn't possibly eat them all. Do you sell or just give them away to family and friends?
Oh boy! I sure do know what that smell is like and EXACTLY how it looked. Yuck. But if I am to persevere my dream has always been to have Arucana chickens. If they survive a Manitoba winter is another worry....
MrsDM - I think the secret for keeping chickens happy and healthy during long, cold winters is to make sure you have enough of them in the right size house so that their body heat keeps them comfortable. Our chicken house is actually quite small, but they do have access to their plastic covered "solarium" in the winter. If there's any sunshine at all, that solarium is toasty warm in no time. Good luck to you, my friend. Once you work through your phobia, you know there will be nothing like fresh eggs you raise on nutritious feed yourself!
Theresa - You are correct! We give the extra eggs away which is NOT financially prudent. All of the geese and all but a trio of the ducks are being sold this spring and the goal is to keep only enough chickens to insure we have enough eggs for our own use during winter. Wish us luck in getting the flock down to a sensible size!
Mama Pea,
I'd buy some of those eggs off of you if we lived closer.
Nice stash of eggs girlie :-)
Hugs,
Sandy
Sandy - Wish I could send a couple dozen to you! However, the way some of our mail has been coming through lately -- via USPS, UPS or Fed Ex -- I wouldn't trust them arriving intact!
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