Duck Eggs Instead of Chicken Eggs: How Many to Use

One duck egg ≈ 1.4 large chicken eggs. Out of the shell, USDA puts a duck egg at 70 g and a large chicken egg at 50 g. That makes the familiar swap — 2 duck eggs for 3 chicken eggs — about 7% light, close enough for most baking. For other counts, use the chart below or weigh 50 g of duck egg for every large egg the recipe calls for.

Recipes are written for large chicken eggs, so every other egg is a weight problem in disguise. A duck egg is not "one egg" in a recipe's terms; it is about one and two-fifths. With one or two eggs the difference is small enough to ignore in a batch of cookies; by six eggs it is a whole extra egg's worth of liquid, and in a custard or sponge that shows.

The Weights Everything Is Based On

Egg	Out of the shell	Equals large chicken eggs
Quail	9 g	0.18 (5–6 quail per large egg)
Chicken, large	50 g	1
Duck	70 g	1.4
Goose	144 g	2.9 (about 3)

These are the USDA FoodData Central weights for one whole egg without the shell. Duck eggs vary more than graded chicken eggs — farm duck eggs commonly run from the low 60s to over 80 g — so if yours look noticeably big or small, crack one into a bowl on the scale once and use that number. Chicken egg sizes are covered in how to substitute egg sizes.

Recipe Calls for Large Eggs: How Many Duck, Quail or Goose Eggs

Large eggs in recipe	Weight needed	Duck (exact)	Closest whole duck eggs	Quail	Goose (exact)
1	50 g	0.71	1 (+20 g)	6	0.35
2	100 g	1.43	1 (−30 g)	11	0.69
3	150 g	2.14	2 (−10 g)	17	1.04
4	200 g	2.86	3 (+10 g)	22	1.39
5	250 g	3.57	4 (+30 g)	28	1.74
6	300 g	4.29	4 (−20 g)	33	2.08
7	350 g	5.00	5 (exact)	39	2.43
8	400 g	5.71	6 (+20 g)	44	2.78
9	450 g	6.43	6 (−30 g)	50	3.12
10	500 g	7.14	7 (−10 g)	56	3.47
11	550 g	7.86	8 (+10 g)	61	3.82
12	600 g	8.57	9 (+30 g)	67	4.17

How to read the "closest" column: the figure in brackets is how far the whole-egg count lands from the recipe. Within 10 g, just use the whole eggs. At 20–30 g, it matters in cakes, custards and anything with few other liquids: beat one more duck egg in a cup and add what's needed by weight (a beaten duck egg is roughly 4½ tablespoons, so 30 g is about 2 tablespoons). Goose eggs almost always need this treatment, since one is nearly three large eggs.

Have Duck Eggs: What They Count as in a Recipe

Duck eggs	Weight	Large eggs	Medium eggs	Jumbo eggs
1	70 g	1.4	1.6	1.1
2	140 g	2.8	3.2	2.2
3	210 g	4.2	4.8	3.3
4	280 g	5.6	6.4	4.4
5	350 g	7.0	8.0	5.6
6	420 g	8.4	9.5	6.7

Medium and jumbo use the same shelled weights as the rest of the site: medium 44 g, large 50 g, jumbo 63 g. This table is handy when a recipe was written for a different size than "large" — some older and British recipes assume medium eggs.

When the 2-for-3 Rule Is Fine — and When to Weigh

Fine: cookies, brownies, quick breads, muffins, pancakes, meatballs, breading and anything with flexible liquids. A 7% shortfall in egg is well inside the normal variation between two cartons of "large" eggs.

Weigh: sponge and chiffon cakes, custards, flans, cheesecakes, quiche, pasta dough and recipes that use six or more eggs. In these the eggs are a large part of the liquid and most of the structure, and the gap between counts — 30 g at nine eggs — is enough to change how the batter sets.

Separated eggs: the count rules break down entirely, because duck eggs carry proportionally more yolk. If a recipe calls for "4 egg whites" or "6 yolks", weigh: a large chicken egg white is about 33 g and a yolk about 17 g, the figures used in the egg weight converter.

What Changes When You Bake With Duck Eggs

Richer, more tender bakes. The higher share of yolk adds fat and emulsifiers, so cakes and brioche come out richer and a little more tender, and custards set creamier. Most bakers like the change; a few find delicate sponges slightly denser.

Whites whip more slowly. Duck egg whites are commonly reported to take longer to reach stiff peaks, and to make a sturdy meringue once they get there. Make sure the bowl is completely grease-free and give them a few extra minutes.

Stronger flavor in simple dishes. In scrambled eggs or a plain custard the duck flavor is noticeable; in a chocolate cake it disappears.

Same food safety rules. Treat duck eggs like chicken eggs: keep them refrigerated and cook egg dishes to 160°F (71°C). People with a chicken egg allergy often react to duck eggs too, so they are not a safe swap for allergies without a doctor's advice.

Frequently Asked Questions