I'm going to be a new mom...

...to two adorable ducklings which will arive next week! Why ducks? Besides the fact that they are adorable and happen to make great pets, they are a natural pesticide as they are natural foragers, limit the amount of unwanted pests such as mosquitos and ticks and make excellent egg layers. Resulting in 100-300 eggs per year. Here's what Urbanhomestead.com has to say about the differences between chicken and duck eggs;

"In our baking experience here on the urban homestead we find that by using duck eggs our baked goods turn out very moist and fluffy (winning lots of great compliments like “what’s in these brownies?”).

Duck eggs also have more albumen (the protein in the white) than chicken eggs, which gives them more structure when cooked. For this reason, many people prefer duck eggs for baking: the extra protein creates additional loft in cakes.

Never eaten duck eggs? Duck eggs taste pretty much the same as chicken eggs. The eggs and yolks are larger and they have a richer nutrient level. They have a longer shelf life because the shells are thicker.
Many of those allergic to chicken eggs can often use duck eggs instead. Of course, if you have severe egg allergies, we suggest you consult your physician before using duck eggs.

Cooking with duck eggs doesn’t call for a major revision in technique. But there are differences: the yolks of duck eggs have more fat and the whites more protein than those of chicken eggs, and you need to take these differences into account when cooking. When fried, duck eggs set up firmer than chicken eggs (especially if they are very fresh) so you want to watch them carefully to avoid overcooking. Hard-cooked duck eggs are just like hard-cooked chicken eggs, only a bit richer. Because of the extra protein in the white, it is especially important not to overcook them. When beating eggwhites from duck eggs, it takes a bit more work to break the gel. As soon as they are frothy, however, they beat up fairly easily.

You can freely substitute duck eggs for chicken eggs in cakes, pies, cookies, custards, etc. Because the whites of duck eggs have more protein than those of chicken eggs, they will whip up higher when beaten and create more loft in cakes. This means lighter, higher cakes. But since the yolks are so rich, your cakes may also be richer with duck eggs.

HEALTH BENEFITS: Besides being great to bake with duck eggs are sought by cancer patients. Apparently, duck eggs are alkaline (basic), chicken eggs are acidic. Cancer cells don’t thrive in a basic environment, so some cancer patients adjust their body’s environment by eating alkaline foods like duck eggs. "

We went to Agway today and picked up the items we would need for the startup of our new fluffy friends. The setup includes a rubbermaid storage container, a 75 watt heating light, water fowl feed, a water dish, and some shredded newspaper. We ordered from a legitimate online site called metzerfarms.com, there is an added charge for ordering under the minimum of 10 ducks, however all together it ended up being cheaper than the other sites I looked at. We decided upon two different breeds, a pekin duck which a large, friendly domestic duck which is also one of the better egg layers. The pekin is the classic white duck, yellow duckling. The other duck is also a large breed, and much like the pekin is well tempered and a good egg layer. This is the black indian runner duck. This type of duck is interesting because it is much thinner and stands straight up. I will be sure to post some pictures once the ducklings arrive!