What is the best way to prepare a duck egg for writing Pysanky?

Duck eggs are harder and smoother than chicken eggs, and they have an outer layer (the cuticle) that protects the egg contents from the elements. This layer is easily scratched, which would result in uneven dyeing.

If you are lucky enough to be able to collect fresh, clean, unscratched duck eggs then you may be able to simply wash them with gentle soap and warm water, and get Excellent results when you dye them. More dirty eggs, or those with stubborn spots, can be cleaned by rubbing with a paste made from baking soda and water.

If the outer layer has been scratched, you can remove the entire outer later with a strong solution such as vinegar, which in effect dissolves the outer layer completely. To do this, soak the whole fresh egg in vinegar for about a minute, then brush it off GENTLY with an old soft toothbrush. Repeat until you can see that the outer layer has been removed. If you are not sure, you can dip the egg in Surma Brown or another dark dye for a second, and remaining parts of the cuticle will show up as dark brown spots.

The problem with removing the entire outer layer is that the next layer does not accept the dye readily, and colors will inevitably look muted or washed out. For this reason, some pysanka artists shy away from duck eggs, unless they can get their hands on fresh unscratched ones, or can buy them from reliable suppliers.