[Travel]Fun with Duck Egg Collecting at a Duck Farmer’s Home: Yilan’s Duck Coop Story House

Located in Wujie Township, the “Duck Coop Story House.” Besides feeding small animals, you can also experience the fun of collecting duck eggs, making handmade duck preserves pizza… There’s also duckling painting DIY, red turtle cake|steamed sticky rice with sweet fillings and other rich activities, offering parents and children a chance to enjoy time together.

Yilan actually has many sightseeing farms, and the “Duck Coop Story House,” which was originally a duck coop workshop, was rebuilt and transformed in 2014. Without navigation guidance, it’s really easy to miss its inconspicuous signboard.

Kids are attracted to animals regardless of whether they’re real or not—it really captures their attention.

Then my elder son insisted that I take a handshake photo with him. I have no idea what he was going for? He was totally in full tourist mode.

The exterior looks like a rest area made of metal sheeting, with the product sales and dining area right at the entrance. Inside, it’s actually very spacious, and with simple furnishings, you can easily see various displays related to ducks and duck farmers, as well as many lifelike statues and exquisitely crafted decorative ducks.

In addition, the exhibition corridor introduces knowledge and displays about duck breeds, poultry feathers, old-fashioned smoking wooden boxes, and the method of making duck preserves, promoting duck farming culture.

The small counter sells a variety of duck processed foods, traditional toys for kids, ice cream… etc. Participation in on-site experience activities is only charged if you choose to join.

Before the trip, my classmate’s mom also called ahead to register for the DIY salted duck egg and handmade pizza experiences. It’s recommended that if you want to join the experiences, you call ahead to confirm. Staff also provide guided tours on weekdays.

Battling the high outdoor temperatures, taking kids out in the summer is really sun-exposed, and we had to dodge the sun everywhere. But traveling with a group of classmates meant that even when it started raining or the sun was blazing, it couldn’t dampen the kids’ enthusiasm. They listened attentively as the guide introduced the upcoming experience activities.

Just saying, these kids are really lucky—every time they go out, they avoid the rainy season. The staff gave very serious explanations, and there were even Q&A sessions with little gifts. But everyone had partied too hard the night before… woke up too early and were too tired, completely spaced out. Out of ten questions, they only got one right. They couldn’t even tell whether the long-necked one was a duck or a goose (of course the adults didn’t give hints)~so disappointing. I think the staff must’ve wanted to roll their eyes at our spaced-out group. HAHA.

Next, the group was led into the duck coop to collect duck eggs, Up!

It was everyone’s first time stepping into a duck coop. Everyone bent down and looked around, finding everything very interesting. The guide said that all the eggs inside were freshly laid that very morning and were very fresh. People were also curious and asked why some eggs were slightly pinkish and others had a grayer-black hue, and were taught how to distinguish between the eggs of red-faced ducks and tea ducks. The taste is also different accordingly.

On sunny days, the operator usually provides bamboo baskets for everyone to collect duck eggs (registration fee is 150 NTD per person / one bucket contains 5 eggs), but because it was raining, they could only be placed directly into the pickling barrels.

Everyone was very serious about picking out their preferred duck eggs. Remember to handle them gently to avoid breakage, Up!

If it’s very young children, an adult must accompany them to avoid using too much force and breaking the eggs.

And make sure to place them gently into the jar and ask mom or dad to help carry them.

Bringing kids to experience this is not only fun for them, but parents also enjoy taking photos and recording memories. Oh yeah. The person holding the camera always ends up alone—after the whole trip, hundreds of photos were taken, and not a single one had mom in it. Ugh~

After collecting their own duck eggs, it’s time to start pickling, Up!Coat the duck eggs in a thick layer of mud made from red clay, water, and salt, then after about 2 weeks, the mud can be washed off, and the eggs can be boiled and eaten, Up!

Generally, operators recommend the best taste is at 2 weeks. If it’s left too long, the flavor will also become relatively saltier.

Out of the group of kids, only two dared to reach in and stir things up.

The older brother also said: “It’s like baby poop” (as a mom, isn’t that exactly what I raised you with?!).

Playing with water is quite refreshing too. Otherwise, traveling in this kind of weather really makes you feel like you’re melting.

When it was time for the hands-on pizza DIY, the kids were super excited. Although baking moms can also knead dough at home and have their kids join in, the atmosphere is just different when peers are around—totally different, ya.

The operator prepared all ingredients and dough in advance. Each handmade pizza costs 200 NTD, and the ingredients are very rich: corn, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, duck preserves, cheese.

Coming here, you absolutely cannot miss tasting the duck preserves dish made using Xie Ji’s traditional methods.

Mini Bao is really quiet when out—he watched his brother knead the dough several times and also wanted to try, but his brother only agreed to let him help add ingredients in the end.

Using hands is too slow. Couldn’t wait to eat. Pouring it in is faster.

Like my kid, who would normally pick out onions, green peppers, … and refuse to eat them, but today while making pizza, ignored their existence entirely, liberally sprinkling them all on. After it came out of the oven, he ate it all up without a care. The power of pizza is real.

Mom actually wanted to sneak a bite of the duck jerky while my brother was kneading the dough—haha! I personally love stir-fried duck jerky with raw chilies and lots of garlic—it’s an absolute flavor bomb with rice. It’s also a fantastic and delicious drinking snack for those occasional evenings when you want to have a little drink.

Next to the two large kilns, there’s also a small, cozy one just for a mother duck. At first, the staff were puzzled as to why they kept seeing her going in and out of the kiln. Later, they discovered… the mother duck had actually started nesting and giving birth inside the kiln! Haha.

Previously, I also took my brother to the Anding Wood-Fired Oven in downtown Luodong for a pizza DIY experience. Back at home, whenever Mom makes snacks, the two kids also love to join in. The feeling and skill of rolling out the dough seem pretty good—they’re quite skilled, and my brother did it all by himself!

Each family enjoyed their own homemade handcrafted pizzas for lunch, along with a bowl of fragrant and chewy duck oil rice with duck jerky, and a soup with duck meatballs. Traditional flavors, yet the simplest kind of deliciousness.

Oh! But while enjoying the delicious food, looking out the window at the flock of ducks… it somehow feels a bit cruel.

There’s a large grassy area big enough for kids to run around, with chickens strolling casually nearby and majestic turkeys brushing past you! There are hundreds of ducks swimming in the pond, and you can even enjoy feeding them!

A group of “mama’s boys” had their first successful overnight trip! Everyone had a great time. Also, kudos to the hardworking dads who drove, manned the kilns, grilled under the heat—you all did amazing! (If I don’t give you a few extra compliments now, will we ever get another chance to go on a trip like this again? Right!)

Then in May—cough cough! It’s Aunt Wei’s turn to organize a picnic party! But with the weather being this hot, are we just going to roast ourselves outdoors + feed mosquitoes? Haha!

Address: No. 88, Gonghe Village Park Road, Wujie Township, Yilan County
Phone: 03-9504646
Website: http://www.039504646.com/
Opening Hours: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (Closed every Thursday)

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