pastureD MEAT & eggs
We raise a variety of chicken breeds that free range around the farm during the day and sleep safely in a coop near our house at night. You will often find our chickens perching on chairs, taking dust-baths under the porches and raiding the duck coop! Our chickens also have full access to our compost bin where they like to dig for treats, roost, relax and find shade during the day. With help of the chickens, our compost breaks down at an incredibly fast rate and their manure adds a nice dose of nitrogen for our garden!
Chicken eggs and duck eggs differ in appearance, taste and nutritional content.
Ducks egg shells tend to be a little thicker and have a translucent appearance. The yolks tend to be a little bigger and provide a richer taste, which can be good or bad depending on preference. And the nutrition difference? Here's a side-by-side courtesy of Backyard Poultry magazine:
CHICKEN EGGS | DUCK EGGS |
---|---|
Calories: 71 Total Fat: 5g Cholesterol: 211mg Sodium: 70mg Total Carbohydratge: 0g Protein: 6g | Calories: 130 Total Fat: 10g Cholesterol: 619mg Sodium: 102mg Total Carbohydrate: 1g Protein: 9g |
Additional nutritional content can be found on Moose Manor Farm's website>>
Our duck flock is made up of Indian Runners, a heritage and endangered breed of ducks. Runners have an interesting history that can be found on the Livestock Conservancy's website. Runners look like wine bottles on legs! They are upright ducks with a long neck and a long body. They waddle around the farm, always in a flock, eating as many insects, spiders and slugs as they can find. They also like to team up with the chickens and ravage our garden for treats (a fence of some sort might be in order next year).
We currently have Fawn & White, Black and Blue Indian Runners and they lay large and nutritious pearl and light blue colored eggs.