Delicious Dirty Duck Eggs

Last Saturday at the Central Farmer's Market, there was a new stall on the Far NW corner where the leather crafts guy used to be, that was a husband and wife farming couple from West of Wickenberg, near Wenden "about a hundred miles" as the husband said.  They had eggs.  Ostrich, emu, chicken, and Duck! All of their eggs were "pasture raised", hand gathered, natural fed, no antibiotics.  They were charging the typical farmer's market $5/dozen for the chicken eggs, and had several dozen duck eggs, for $6/dozen.  Some of the individual duck eggs were so large, the cardboard containers could not be closed, and I asked if they could swap them out with smaller ones, so I could get the lid closed.  They happily obliged.

The wife said "they have alot more flavor than chicken eggs".  I was sold.  And my only regret, is not having bought a 2nd dozen.   The "dirty" appearance was initially a little "off putting", but I remembered the geese eggs I used to see at Huntington Downs apartments lake in Greenville (before the predators ate them), and the occasional egg the back yard ducks we had as kids would lay, and they were all indeed, "dirty" in appearance.  It was nothing that a little water and a wet paper towel couldn't take off.  I handled the eggs cautiously, daintily, concerned that I might break them in the washing, wiping, and drying.  That was a completely ungrounded fear.  The shells of these duck eggs were formidable.  Very thick calcium carbonate armour.   Subjectively, I'd say they were "twice as thick" as the thickest chicken eggs I've ever broken. 
 
And the yolks...  Oh My!   Such Dark Orange yolks!  Thick, consistent, full of nutrients.  Given a choice, I don't think I will ever buy another chicken egg again. Over easy, scrambled, or in a skillet with mushrooms, peppers, and onions, they've been fantastic.  I'm looking forward to getting more of them after New Years.  Not sure about Emu and Ostrich eggs though, those things were at least as big as a soft ball.