What began as a simple way to sell spare duck eggs near Bishop Auckland has turned into a viral social media sensation, led by two young brothers with a passion for farming.
Edward Williamson, eight, and his five-year-old brother Reuben have gained thousands of followers on their social media page, Williamson’s Quacking Eggs, which shares their daily farming adventures.
The account now has more than 110,000 Facebook followers and almost 39,000 Instagram followers, with viewers tuning in daily to watch egg collections, animal care, hatchings, and Edward’s farm facts.
The family began keeping Indian Runner ducks after buying the boys some ducklings for Easter in 2024.
Edward and Reuben Williamson
(Image: FAMILY)
Once the ducks began laying, the family found they had more eggs than they could use.
Helen Williamson, 33, said: "For Easter, we got them some baby Runner ducks.
"Once they started to lay their eggs, we had more eggs than we knew what to do with.
"I set up a Facebook page called Williamson’s Quacking Eggs.
"If we ever had any spare eggs, people in our village would come and pick these eggs up.
"There was no more to it than that."
The boys later began dropping eggs off on the way to school, but Edward had another idea.
After watching young vloggers online, he wondered whether people would be interested in seeing what he and his brother did on the farm.
Helen said: "Edward got a little bit older and started watching things on YouTube of other children doing the vlogging side of things.
"He wondered whether people would like to see what he did on the farm.
"We started to post a bit, and people loved to see it from a child’s perspective.
"It has grown far beyond anything we could ever have imagined."
Edward Williamson
(Image: FAMILY)
The popular page is filled with unfiltered content of the family sharing the moments when things do not quite go to plan as well as their everyday routines on the farm.
Helen said: "People like that it is not polished or scripted. A lot of the comments say it is very light-hearted.
"Some days everything goes to plan and other days it does not, and that makes quite funny things for people to watch.
"It is normal family farm life from their perspective. It is just completely genuine.
"It is them doing what they enjoy doing every day."
Edward and Reuben Williamson
(Image: FAMILY)
As well as collecting eggs, feeding animals, and helping with bedding, Edward shares facts about farming and animal care with followers.
Helen said: "Thousands of people genuinely do not know much about farming at all.
"If we can make somebody stop for 30 seconds and learn something about British farming, I think it is absolutely brilliant.
Edward and Reuben Williamson
(Image: FAMILY)
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"If seeing Edward and Reuben’s enthusiasm encourages even one person to be interested in agriculture, or just step outside, get off their screens and go for a walk in the countryside or take notice of animals, that is something we would be really proud of."
The money from egg sales helps pay for the animals’ feed, bedding, and veterinary care, while Edward’s longer-term goal is to save for a vintage tractor.
Edward has also been shortlisted for Junior Young Farm Worker of the Year at the British Farming Awards, with the ceremony due to take place at Cannon Hall Farm in Barnsley, the focus of Channel 5 show 'Cannon Hall: A Yorkshire Farm', in September.