So tell me about Cayuga ducks

[bilsie]

My Cayugas are now 6 weeks old and are showing colour on their heads, is it true that the females are not as colourful as the males? The pictures I have seen don't seem to show much difference. Can anyone tell me when the male tail curl becomes evident? I think they are just gorgeous but mine have come from a 'backyard mix' and I wonder when I will know for sure how much colour they will have? We put their 'tractor' in the garden about a week ago and I see that they are eating different plant leaves but I have stopped feeding them the succulent grass that I had been hand feeding them. I had started to dig an asparagus bed and was unable to finish it so we have filled the hole with plastic and the ducks love it, they are in there umpteen times a day but as Hendrix25 talks about they swim, wander and then have a rest. I have 2 Saxonies also (same hatch) but all of mine seem rather scared of me they talk to me when I come out to let them free range through the garden and "Mama Chicken" will come running for treats but I am afraid to take them into the orchard for fear I won't be able to get them back to the garden and their coop. Any input would be appreciated as I have now had chickens for a year but am actually a city girl so it is all new to me but it is fun. Thanks

 

[tallyk]

Two quick questions as a newbie:
Do you have to have a drake in order for hens to lay?
How old is too old...are 2-3 year old Cayugs still great layers?
Thank you!

 

[bilsie]

As a newbie to a newbie, tallyk I know the answer to your first question is no but sorry I can't answer for sure on the next one.

 

[token13]

3 month old Cayuga Duck

TOKEN the badass

 

[knightie]

Hey guys, just saw this thread. As for two or three year olds laying great. It will vary... if they were great layers the first year then the should remain that for severAl years...providing they are properly fed and if you don't use artificial lights they will remain good layers for severAl years ( it varies from bird to bird) artificial light will make them mY when they ordinarily wouldn't and all birds have a set number of eggs to lay in their life... if you use artificial lighting then they will 'run pig's of eggs earlier in their life.

I'm bit sad my sq (show quality) drake was injured and died from them. I'll have to see if I can find one of his few pics.

Someone earlier asked if girls were as colorful as boys...some come close...it varies with the quality of bird

 

[grullablue]

I've always loved ducks, just think they're SO cute, and their little quacks.....just adorable. I'm thinking about getting 2-3 of these.

If they are raised with them, can they share the coop with chickens at night? I get my critters from McMurray, will they ship chickens and a few ducks together or separate? I'm starting with a new flock of chickens this year...

Thanks! Happy New Year!
Angie

 

[wigglewaddle]

Hi there, I'm just seeking some advice! My Cayuga is quacking very loudly quite often. Sometimes she's set off by a seagull flying over or when she can't see her friend (a female khaki Campbell) but often she just starts quacking and then won't stop regardless of what we do! We live in a semi-detached house so obviously we don't want to annoy our neighbours with noise - at any time of day really!

Please help! Also she's stopped laying at the moment but the khaki is still laying.

Thank you!!

 

[bilsie]

Wigglewaddle: This is actually an old thread even tho a few of us have participated recently, I am a newbie also. You might get more help if you post your question on a new thread.

 

[wigglewaddle]

I must have the odd one out then!

I have one cayuga- she loves the water, spends a large part of her day on the pond, is very noisy and quacks at just about anything and is an absolute gannet in rustling through the grass, bushes etc! She completely ate a new pond grass we got so we gave up on plants in that area!

 

[PigeonPoop]

I have 2 and there great love the water I have a 10ftx10ft dog pen and a chicken coop inside of that. My male is tame and loves being held he always places his head on my shoulder the female however is not Ive had mine since they were a day old they eat anything thats green love cherry tomatoes lol. The females tend to be louder then the males. Mine are huge dont think they fly