Cayuga Duck Eggs

[learycow]

This is the first egg of the season from one on my gals (khaki campbell egg above it)

This pic shows how the black is simply a coating on a lighter colored egg. You can see how a simply scratch on the shell will remove it!
The green eggs that have a hint of off color on them are also cayuga eggs. They too started out black and slowly with the egg cycle less and less black appear on the eggs

Another example of how they fade. A fairly early season egg at the bottom on the left. All other eggs are cayuga eggs but later in the season. Most are white, some stay "purple" or a lighter color gray

3 shades of cayuga eggs. Black, white, and "purple"

 

[magpiebirdie]

This is the first egg of the season from one on my gals (khaki campbell egg above it)

This pic shows how the black is simply a coating on a lighter colored egg. You can see how a simply scratch on the shell will remove it!
The green eggs that have a hint of off color on them are also cayuga eggs. They too started out black and slowly with the egg cycle less and less black appear on the eggs

Another example of how they fade. A fairly early season egg at the bottom on the left. All other eggs are cayuga eggs but later in the season. Most are white, some stay "purple" or a lighter color gray

3 shades of cayuga eggs. Black, white, and "purple"

Wow, those look almost like soapstone!!! Stupid question from someone who has never eaten a duck egg -- do you notice any taste difference between your cayugas & chicken eggs? I've heard that the duck eggs are better for baking, we are thinking about getting a few cayugas next spring.

 

[helios]

The duck eggs have a higher yolk to white ratio (I think this also makes them slightly higher in nutrition by weight), and the whites are slightly tougher when pan-fried. I'm guessing that's why they are superior for baking, making richer (more yolk) and firmer (denser whites) baked goods. I bet they'd make a great souffle'! It's really a slight difference in texture. As to taste, I can't really tell a difference, although I leave most to hatching.

The first year we had duck eggs, I swore I could taste a slight fishy flavor once...it may or may not have been my imagination, as I know that a lot of onions/garlic, etc. in a hen's diet can lend a flavor to eggs, and the ducks were probably feasting on tadpoles and minnows about the time they started laying

 

[helios]

learycow--it looks like you have some greenish eggs, too. I really think that the base color of the egg is an indicator of stronger color genes. I think the cayuga hens who lay a white base egg got that trait from an outcrossing somewhere back in the line. If you breed, I'd try to breed your green-egg girls

 

[learycow]

learycow--it looks like you have some greenish eggs, too. I really think that the base color of the egg is an indicator of stronger color genes. I think the cayuga hens who lay a white base egg got that trait from an outcrossing somewhere back in the line. If you breed, I'd try to breed your green-egg girls

Yes, I had a show flock of Cayugas and out of 8 breeder hens, only 1 laid white, the rest were green But I sold them last summer when I got out of the breed. But they can and do lay colored eggs, they are just harder to find!

 

[jtn42248]

My Cayugas started laying about a month ago. At first only a couple and they laid the nice dark eggs to begin with. Then, with each egg, they got a little light to where they are an almost white. My niece says they are running low on toner (she is young and very tech savvy). This a.m. I went to let them out and there were six egg from the 14 females I have. It was till dark and foggy out so I almost stepped on them...they are not proud and just drop the egg where it suits them. No nest building yet. Here are the eggs from this a.m.



The three on the left are from the girls that have been laying for a few weeks. On the right are from the girls that laid their first egg today and the one in the middle (tan egg) is a large chicken egg.

The Cayuga shells are a lot harder than chicken eggs and the membrane is very tough. The whites are a lot thicker than chickens and the yolks are yellow/orange and larger than chicken eggs.

Hopefully we will soon have enough breeding going on that we can start a hatching program. The two males I have are just figuring out what all the female head bobbing is indicative of.

 

[jtn42248]

Well, I went out to let everyone out this a.m. and this is what I found in the Cayuga coop (I provided the carton)

Not bad for 14 girls given the time of year and the funny weather we have been having. But yesterday was bright sunny all day so that may have triggered the overnight lay. I did find a "field" egg with them yesterday so I have at least one that is not a nocturnal layer like the rest.

 

[nannyqueen]

Just got a black egg from one of my Cayuga's, however when I began cleaning it the Black came off! Is that normal? I know it wasn't mud or poop,I was cleaning it with a scrubby sponge and it just wiped off.

 

[needlessjunk]

Just got a black egg from one of my Cayuga's, however when I began cleaning it the Black came off! Is that normal? I know it wasn't mud or poop,I was cleaning it with a scrubby sponge and it just wiped off.

Yes it is normal. The black is actually the bloom and will come off.

 

[jtn42248]

Just got a black egg from one of my Cayuga's, however when I began cleaning it the Black came off! Is that normal? I know it wasn't mud or poop,I was cleaning it with a scrubby sponge and it just wiped off.

Perfectly normal. The "black" on Cayuga eggs is more of a coating and not the actual color of the shell. The more eggs they lay the less coating there is until they are laying white or nearly white eggs. After a while mine tend to be more a pale grey than white. My niece, who is very young and very smart by the way, says that their toner is low.