Should I Raise Poultry? - Raising Poultry - page 6

DON'T STOP AT CHICKENS
FOR EGGS AND MEAT
Eggs from all species of poultry can be consumed and in many cases make wonderful
tasty additions to your diet.
Duck eggs are fabulous for baking and cooking. They make outstanding cakes and
pastries, and some of the fluffiest omelets.
Goose eggs also are edible, but goose egg production is never quite high enough nor
is the season long enough for geese to be raised solely for the purpose of eating the
eggs. Goose eggs are far more valuable for other purposes and never need be wasted
if you plan wisely. They are widely sought after for making pysanky, eggs decorated
with traditional Ukrainian folk designs using the wax-resist dying method. So even
eggs that candle out of the incubator as infertile can be blown out and used for egg
decorating.
Turkey eggs are a wonderful substitute for chicken eggs; in fact, they are virtually
indistinguishable. Turkey hens lay 80 or more eggs per season, some more than oth-
ers. The key to keeping turkeys laying is to constantly gather the eggs to keep them
from wanting to “steal a nest” — lay and raise a clutch of eggs hidden from the gen-
eral flow of traffic.
Guinea eggs are also close to chicken eggs in taste and texture. They are smaller and
the shells unbelievably hard, but the yolks are firm and stand high in the pan.
Quail eggs , although very small, are quite edible and can make cute party bites when
made into deviled eggs or used to dot the tops of a potato salad or the like. They are
commonly pickled and make beautiful decorations when mixed with pickled beets.
Niche Markets
Niche markets are created by the demands of consumers desiring a product that is rare
or can't be found easily among more mainstream products. For example, a niche market
is created when someone wants farm-fresh eggs laid by free-range laying hens. Other
niche markets are customers who desire eggs from hens that have been fed a special
diet to produce eggs higher in omega-3 fatty acids or eggs from soy- and/or corn-free
rations. Also, of course, some customers seek to eat eggs with unique colors such as the
pastels of the Ameraucanas and Araucanas, or the deep, dark brown eggs of the Marans,
Penadesencas, Welsumers, and Barnevelders.