Have you ever wondered if raw duck eggs for dogs are OK to feed? In a nutshell – YES, raw duck eggs are one type of eggs that you can feed your dog!
Other options are chicken eggs, quail eggs, and goose eggs. It took me several years to realize that there are other egg options for dogs (and myself!), so let me jump right into the topic!
Wally’s my 38 lb Feist mix who’s been with my since early 2019, so for about a year and a half at the time I’m writing this. He came to me as one itchy pup who ate the cheapest dry dog food out there.
Once I switched him over to raw dog food including (chicken) eggs, his skin condition got a lot better, but I still suspected that he did poorly with certain protein sources such as chicken.
Sure enough, when I did a food sensitivity test on Wally, I found out that chicken is one of his trigger foods, along with quail, salmon, grains, and a few others.
See my article Dog Allergy Testing with the Glacier Peak Pet Wellness Allergy Scan for more information on this topic if you’re interested.
While it was great to know that my chicken suspicion was confirmed, it was a bit of a bummer to learn that he couldn’t have chicken eggs anymore either. That’s because the chicken protein just doesn’t agree with him overall.
So I began looking for an alternative and found one in the form of duck eggs! They’re just as much of a nutritional powerhouse as chicken eggs are, and then some!
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. I may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.
Is there a difference between chicken eggs and duck eggs?
Although both types of eggs are nutritional powerhouses, there are actually a few differences between duck eggs and chicken eggs:
- Duck eggs are larger than chicken eggs. Their shells are also thicker which give them a longer shelf life.
- The fat & cholesterol content is higher in duck eggs than it is in chicken eggs. That’s because of their differing diet. Ducks eat more bugs, whereas chickens eat more plant matter.
- Duck egg whites are almost transparent and more solid than those of chicken eggs. Chicken egg whites have a more yellow hue.
- Duck egg yolks are larger and of a deeper orange color than chicken egg yolks.
- The omega-3 fatty acid content is higher in duck eggs than it is in chicken eggs.
- Duck eggs are also higher in protein (9 vs 6 grams), iron, vitamin A & D, folate, and choline than chicken eggs.
- I went ahead and made eggs sunny side up with a chicken egg and a duck egg in order to taste-test a duck egg myself. It was creamier than the chicken eggand had a slightly more full- bodied taste.
Raw duck eggs for dogs – How many can my dog have per week?
Since Wally’s a medium size dog, he can have 2 duck eggs per week. Larger dogs are fine with 3 duck eggs per week. They last about a month in the fridge.
Just FYI: smaller dogs can have 1 egg per week if you’re feeding duck eggs or chicken eggs, and 2-3 eggs per week if you’re feeding quail eggs. They’re truly the perfect size egg for smaller dogs!
How do I feed the duck egg?
I personally feed the duck egg raw since I’m a raw feeder. Cooking the egg would be an alternative if you’re not comfortable offering your dog a raw egg, but it’s important to understand that the cooking process ruins a lot of the egg’s nutrients.
You can still feed your dog raw eggs even if you’re not a raw feeder. They’re actually a great way to ease yourself into feeding raw dog food, and are an inexpensive booster for your dog’s coat and skin.
Before I adopted Wally officially, I fostered him and fed him the dry dog food his rescue staff was providing. I started adding a raw chicken egg to his meals a few times per week to help him with his itchy skin.
It helped a little, but raw dog food in general would have had even better results – and IT DID end up having great results once I made the switch to raw dog food after I adopted him.
What about the egg shells & membrane?
It’s perfectly fine to feed the egg shells including their membrane either whole or crushed if the eggs are organic. If they aren’t, it’s best to toss them. Wally only eats them if I crush them up very finely and mix them in with his other raw dog food.
Sometimes I let him eat the egg in the backyard, and when I do, he always leaves the shell behind. It’s kind of funny to watch!
Raw duck eggs for dogs – What’s a sample raw dog food recipe with duck eggs?
- Duck egg
- Duck neck
- Calf liver
- Bison spinal cord
- Beef green tripe
- Mackerel (fish)
- Turkey heart
In case you’re wondering where I got all these ingredients, most are from Raw Feeding Miami (my referral link for 10% off), an online raw dog food retailer.
However, the calf liver is from a local grocery store.
If you’re looking for more raw dog food recipes and basic information about feeding balanced raw dog food, check out my ebooks:
Where Do I Buy The Raw Duck Eggs?
I found my first duck eggs on Etsy when I did a Google search. I was secretly hoping to find a local farm who’d sell them, but didn’t have any luck. So instead, I decided to explore Etsy.
Option 1: On Etsy by Iacono Farm
It’s a small family operated and owned farm in East Hampton, NY.
12 extra large duck eggs were $34 + $2.39 tax, and shipping was free. I will say that I almost didn’t buy them because of the high price point.
However, I really wanted Wally to eat eggs again PLUS:
- I liked that they’re from ducks that are pasture raised, naturally grown, free-range, and fed an antibiotic-free keto diet.
- Whenever I can, I support small businesses since I run one myself.
- Their reviews were outstanding, especially as far as their packaging goes.
…so I ordered them anyway!
Iacono Farm shipped them out right away and, just like it said in their reviews, paid EXTREME attention to their packaging. I can’t stress enough how surprised I was that only one egg had a minor crack in its shell, and on top of that I got one extra egg for free!
Wally absolutely loved their eggs, and I was ecstatic that I finally found a replacement for chicken eggs. Since he gets 2 eggs per week and I ate 2 as well, these 12 duck eggs lasted us 5 weeks.
Option 2: Local Grocery Store
A few weeks later, I discovered raw duck eggs at a grocery store here in North Carolina, Harris Teeter.
When they’re not on sale, I can get 6 eggs for $4.99. When they ARE on their best sale, I can get 12 for the same price!
Besides the lower price point, I like that my carbon footprint is smaller than when ordering from the farm in NY. From now on, I’ll mainly get Wally’s duck eggs from this grocery store, but I’ll still place an order to support the farm every now and then.
Option 3: The Real Meal Pet Food Company
They sell 6 raw pasture-raised duck eggs per carton.
The brand is headquartered in Narvon, PA and ships nationwide in the US.
Option 4: Answers Pet Food
Answers Pet Food is a raw dog food brand that specializes in fermented raw dog food.
Besides their fermented dog food, they also offer several add-ons, and fermented duck eggs are one of them!
One box holds 4 fermented raw duck eggs that are good in the fridge for up to 14 days.
The brand is headquartered in Fleetwood, PA and currently (early 2023) ships to the East Coast and most mid-western States. They’re looking to expand to nationwide US shipping.
The good news is that their products are also available at lots of independent pet food retailers.
To learn more about the brand, check out my blog post What’s so great about fermented dog food?
Option 5: Soul’Y Raw
Raw dog food brand Soul’y Raw also carries raw duck eggs (4).
They’re farm fresh and from pasture raised ducks.
Can Dogs Eat Duck Eggs: Bottom Line
So yes, duck eggs for dogs are a thing!
Not only CAN dogs have duck eggs, they’re also exceptionally nutritious and a better option than chicken eggs!
That’s really good news for dogs who have chicken allergies, like my pup Wally.
You can find raw duck eggs at well stocked grocery stores, specific sellers on Etsy, as well as at a few raw dog food brands.
Do you know of any additional resources for raw duck eggs? Please leave them in the comment section below or email me at barbara@k9sovercoffee.com and I’ll add them in after.
Content Related to Raw Duck for Dogs:
- Benefits of raw eggs for dogs
- How to make raw dog food at home
- Where to buy raw duck for dogs and how to feed
Raw Dog Food Game Changers
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Save 15% on anything at Raw Paws Pet Food with code K9Savings. They’re located in Indiana and ship nationwide within the US.
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Save 10% on your first order of anything at Raw Feeding Miami with this referral link.
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Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm Base Mix. It’s low-carb which is particularly great for dogs on a keto diet and those with health issues like diabetes and cancer.
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