Cayuga duck question

[Bolfreak]

So I'm getting and breeding Cayuga ducks and I'm wondering if the darker the egg the egg is if that will result in a high quality bird? Also I'm wondering if he s will lay dark/completely black eggs in the beginning of the year and they slowly get lighter and the year progresses? What is the difference between a high quality and low quality Cayuga duck? Like what is the standard? Is it possible to mix them with other breeds? I wouldn't try to but I'm curious. Like if you mix a Cayuga drake with a Muscovy hen, or mallard hen and Cayuga drake. I know these pretty weird or dumb questions, but I'm happy with any answer I can get! If anyone has tips on taking care of Cayuga ducks or things people normally don't tell about the breed, I really want to know what I'm expecting if I get some! I'm getting a pair, because from my research they seem to be one of the few breeds that are calm enough to be kept in pairs or trios (2 hens 1 drake)

New to ducks myself (this year) and chose Cayugas. I’ve had heritage turkeys since 2021 and went through a few batches of ducklings before the current flock of 3 Cayugas and a pair of Pilgrim geese.
I chose Cayugas for a few reasons, but here’s the nitty gritty: they are beautiful (this is true and they’re adorable ducklings. I ordered 4 straight run ducklings with life insurance GET IT! from Metzer. I ended up with 1 drake and 2 ducks survivors from 3 different batches). There is some debate that black ducks look like crows from the air, so hawks aren’t interested. I can’t prove or deny this, I only lost ducklings during shipping and to a voracious rat snake inside the barn at night
2) “low” flying ability: they can fly, but so far they’ve stuck around. They jump up every morning to be let out, but so far I haven’t seen them attempt to fly distances unless instigated by the gander (I’ve since clipped gander’s wing to keep flying to a minimum).
3) not very loud-this isn’t quite true, since the females can be loud. We live rural so my neighbors don’t complain considering turkey gobbles and geese screeching along with quacks. I don’t keep chickens or there would be crowing as well
4) friendliness-mine come running for grapes and are easy enough to catch when cornered, but even hand raised they aren’t cuddly.
5) weeding/foraging-excellent! They eat EVERYthing and don’t really damage plants, but they do make little holes with their bills, especially in water/mud. Mine free range a 2.5 acre pasture, but usually come up to the house/lawn/garden. No pond (therefore no fish taste to the eggs), but they have deep bowls, sprinklers and a kiddie pool to play in and are fine like that.
6) broody-jury’s still out. Mine started laying at 4 and 5 months of age and I’d been collecting the eggs until recently, when the drake has been successful at his attempts to mate (he’s 5 months old).
7) eggs-I’ve gotten smallish off white colored eggs from Rayo (March hatch). Today I found a blackish egg which might be from Leganés (her and drake are May hatch). Pics below.
8) meat? I’m not there yet.
I’d love to keep learning and sharing info! One thing about the ducklings is the whole don’t let them swim til 3 weeks old…I can’t keep my day old Cayugas out of their water dish, no matter how shallow! Lol…they are really cute imitating a submarine, anyway.

 

[Gigachad poultry]

New to ducks myself (this year) and chose Cayugas. I’ve had heritage turkeys since 2021 and went through a few batches of ducklings before the current flock of 3 Cayugas and a pair of Pilgrim geese.
I chose Cayugas for a few reasons, but here’s the nitty gritty: they are beautiful (this is true and they’re adorable ducklings. I ordered 4 straight run ducklings with life insurance GET IT! from Metzer. I ended up with 1 drake and 2 ducks survivors from 3 different batches). There is some debate that black ducks look like crows from the air, so hawks aren’t interested. I can’t prove or deny this, I only lost ducklings during shipping and to a voracious rat snake inside the barn at night
2) “low” flying ability: they can fly, but so far they’ve stuck around. They jump up every morning to be let out, but so far I haven’t seen them attempt to fly distances unless instigated by the gander (I’ve since clipped gander’s wing to keep flying to a minimum).
3) not very loud-this isn’t quite true, since the females can be loud. We live rural so my neighbors don’t complain considering turkey gobbles and geese screeching along with quacks. I don’t keep chickens or there would be crowing as well
4) friendliness-mine come running for grapes and are easy enough to catch when cornered, but even hand raised they aren’t cuddly.
5) weeding/foraging-excellent! They eat EVERYthing and don’t really damage plants, but they do make little holes with their bills, especially in water/mud. Mine free range a 2.5 acre pasture, but usually come up to the house/lawn/garden. No pond (therefore no fish taste to the eggs), but they have deep bowls, sprinklers and a kiddie pool to play in and are fine like that.
6) broody-jury’s still out. Mine started laying at 4 and 5 months of age and I’d been collecting the eggs until recently, when the drake has been successful at his attempts to mate (he’s 5 months old).
7) eggs-I’ve gotten smallish off white colored eggs from Rayo (March hatch). Today I found a blackish egg which might be from Leganés (her and drake are May hatch). Pics below.
8) meat? I’m not there yet.
I’d love to keep learning and sharing info! One thing about the ducklings is the whole don’t let them swim til 3 weeks old…I can’t keep my day old Cayugas out of their water dish, no matter how shallow! Lol…they are really cute imitating a submarine, anyway.

Wow thanks for the information! I'm planning on making some chicken tractors and that will include one for some ducks!!! My mom finally agreed and all I need to do now is get the money earned up! This is the design I will build off of.

 

[Bolfreak]

Wow thanks for the information! I'm planning on making some chicken tractors and that will include one for some ducks!!! My mom finally agreed and all I need to do now is get the money earned up! This is the design I will build off of.
View attachment 3671543

Ducks are VERY messy with their poop and water, especially compared to other types of poultry (except geese-also poopy and messy, but their poop is all grass and water vs. Duck poop which colorful wet skidmarks everywhere lol). I brood mine in a big rubbermaid tub with pelleted shavings covered by flake (not fine) shavings. I add shavings on top but will do a wholesale change when needed (dump on your plants, it’s great mulch). I also put their water dish inside a wider dish to contain the mess (there’s also the paint tray or putting it on a grate). When they arrive, I dip all of their bills in vitamin water until I see them drink. I feed crumbles but not beyond a few weeks old, it’s a lot of powder and gets wasted. I also put Optizyme powder in their food for first few months (it’s a digestive supp for horses but the first ingredient is brewer’s yeast for niacin). Go mixing in pellets and eventually stop crumbles. They always need water nearby when eating to wash it down. I also will forage greens for them and float them in the water to teach them to eat green stuff. Also oatmeal flakes they like. I transition them to a stall in the barn as soon as it’s warm enough at night with food and water in there, but at about a month old, I take it out. They only eat/drink outside of the stall and while ranging, and that keeps the mess way down.
Would they stay all the time in your tractor? I’m sure there are ways you can limit their food/water access to keep the mess down. I got mine on purpose to free range and they do a great job. I haven’t lost any to daytime predators, but that’s also why I added the pair of geese to help keep watch.

 

[AngelinaThePekin8]

New to ducks myself (this year) and chose Cayugas. I’ve had heritage turkeys since 2021 and went through a few batches of ducklings before the current flock of 3 Cayugas and a pair of Pilgrim geese.
I chose Cayugas for a few reasons, but here’s the nitty gritty: they are beautiful (this is true and they’re adorable ducklings. I ordered 4 straight run ducklings with life insurance GET IT! from Metzer. I ended up with 1 drake and 2 ducks survivors from 3 different batches). There is some debate that black ducks look like crows from the air, so hawks aren’t interested. I can’t prove or deny this, I only lost ducklings during shipping and to a voracious rat snake inside the barn at night
2) “low” flying ability: they can fly, but so far they’ve stuck around. They jump up every morning to be let out, but so far I haven’t seen them attempt to fly distances unless instigated by the gander (I’ve since clipped gander’s wing to keep flying to a minimum).
3) not very loud-this isn’t quite true, since the females can be loud. We live rural so my neighbors don’t complain considering turkey gobbles and geese screeching along with quacks. I don’t keep chickens or there would be crowing as well
4) friendliness-mine come running for grapes and are easy enough to catch when cornered, but even hand raised they aren’t cuddly.
5) weeding/foraging-excellent! They eat EVERYthing and don’t really damage plants, but they do make little holes with their bills, especially in water/mud. Mine free range a 2.5 acre pasture, but usually come up to the house/lawn/garden. No pond (therefore no fish taste to the eggs), but they have deep bowls, sprinklers and a kiddie pool to play in and are fine like that.
6) broody-jury’s still out. Mine started laying at 4 and 5 months of age and I’d been collecting the eggs until recently, when the drake has been successful at his attempts to mate (he’s 5 months old).
7) eggs-I’ve gotten smallish off white colored eggs from Rayo (March hatch). Today I found a blackish egg which might be from Leganés (her and drake are May hatch). Pics below.
8) meat? I’m not there yet.
I’d love to keep learning and sharing info! One thing about the ducklings is the whole don’t let them swim til 3 weeks old…I can’t keep my day old Cayugas out of their water dish, no matter how shallow! Lol…they are really cute imitating a submarine, anyway.

Their so pretty!

I free range my ducks too and two of my ducks a khaki campbell and the only full grown adult cayuga hen hatched some ducklings this summer my two adult drakes are Cayuga's so all of the babies are cayuga crosses.
The cayuga hatched two ducklings none were her eggs she's been broody many times before and in years past hatched 2 ducklings.
My khaki hatched three and lost about three during hatching and incubation this was her first time broody.

They all free range even at night right now we're working on a better coop so until it's complete the coop door is wide open 24/7. There is only two ducks out of all the five ducklings and three drakes makes me a bit sad cause we already have two adult drakes who fight during the spring and summer months hopefully we can figure something out for them or we'll have to get rid of some drakes, if nothing works. They'll be fine for quite a while still.

 

[AngelinaThePekin8]

New to ducks myself (this year) and chose Cayugas. I’ve had heritage turkeys since 2021 and went through a few batches of ducklings before the current flock of 3 Cayugas and a pair of Pilgrim geese.
I chose Cayugas for a few reasons, but here’s the nitty gritty: they are beautiful (this is true and they’re adorable ducklings. I ordered 4 straight run ducklings with life insurance GET IT! from Metzer. I ended up with 1 drake and 2 ducks survivors from 3 different batches). There is some debate that black ducks look like crows from the air, so hawks aren’t interested. I can’t prove or deny this, I only lost ducklings during shipping and to a voracious rat snake inside the barn at night
2) “low” flying ability: they can fly, but so far they’ve stuck around. They jump up every morning to be let out, but so far I haven’t seen them attempt to fly distances unless instigated by the gander (I’ve since clipped gander’s wing to keep flying to a minimum).
3) not very loud-this isn’t quite true, since the females can be loud. We live rural so my neighbors don’t complain considering turkey gobbles and geese screeching along with quacks. I don’t keep chickens or there would be crowing as well
4) friendliness-mine come running for grapes and are easy enough to catch when cornered, but even hand raised they aren’t cuddly.
5) weeding/foraging-excellent! They eat EVERYthing and don’t really damage plants, but they do make little holes with their bills, especially in water/mud. Mine free range a 2.5 acre pasture, but usually come up to the house/lawn/garden. No pond (therefore no fish taste to the eggs), but they have deep bowls, sprinklers and a kiddie pool to play in and are fine like that.
6) broody-jury’s still out. Mine started laying at 4 and 5 months of age and I’d been collecting the eggs until recently, when the drake has been successful at his attempts to mate (he’s 5 months old).
7) eggs-I’ve gotten smallish off white colored eggs from Rayo (March hatch). Today I found a blackish egg which might be from Leganés (her and drake are May hatch). Pics below.
8) meat? I’m not there yet.
I’d love to keep learning and sharing info! One thing about the ducklings is the whole don’t let them swim til 3 weeks old…I can’t keep my day old Cayugas out of their water dish, no matter how shallow! Lol…they are really cute imitating a submarine, anyway.

Is there a spider on one of the cayugas in your last picture?

 

[Bolfreak]

Is there a spider on one of the cayugas in your last picture?

Yes lol - the turkey Bob ate it for her