Iβm less sure about how they raise their ducks. I think itβs above mere survival but yes, they donβt have the same smorgasbord available they do in the growing season.
At least when I was regularly ordering from them, they also didnβt sell chicken eggs in the winter at all because production was so low. I just saw they were carrying the duck eggs at my favorite butcher and took the opportunity.
Yeah, winter is tough. You can preserve unwashed eggs in a lime solution for the year.
I have a homesteading friend with chickens who decided not to do this because of the risk of Botulinum spores surviving. Have you ever heard of this being a problem? I think Iβve heard of people relying on it more than ever getting sick from it, but it does give me pause.
My mom has done it the last couple years with no problems. I'm sure that, just like so many similar things, it has to do with how much care you take doing it. She had to redo her entire batch because two of the eggs cracked. People also used to preserve eggs packed in lard, don't know the trade offs...
When I was an apprentice, the ducks were Daniel's oldest son's enterprise. There was a pen inside one of the hoophouses (the one closest to the store) for them in the winter. Somehow, that was 8 years ago...
I think ducks are much harder than chickens in the winter because they need a bigger water source.
