So we have purchased a mini flock of ducks for our own entertainment and to provide our household with eggs! They are Khaki Campbell ducks who are known for high egg production and a lovely disposition. They are a domesticated breed from England, by a Mrs. Adah Campbell who spoke of her ducks originally as "a few mongrel hens." I found this great little piece (great for the pictures if nothing else) if you're into history and whatever. Supposedly they lay an average of 320 eggs per year, whereas the average laying hen (in a free range situation without any artificial light to make them think it is day time) lays around 300! Ducks! Who would have thought? Also, according to a recent NPR survey duck eggs come in a very close second to regular grocery story chicken eggs in a blind taste test when soft boiled. (The most common reason sited for being second was that while the duck eggs were creamy and delicious and rich, they were unfamiliar... in my mind creamy, delicious and rich, trump unfamiliar any day...either way I guess we'll get used to it!) The major bonus we see however is that ducks, once a little older and more independent eat WAY less store bought food than chickens, instead opting for grubs and grass! Hurray for not buying lots of grain! Below is a scale picture of one of our Khaki's on day 1 of her life... for now we'll call her Ginger. Just pint sized. Once a week we'll take another scale photo and if its dramatic we'll post for comparison. This is also a minor plug for Tree Island Yogurt... delicious and just down the road from us.
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