Cayuga coop questions?

[Gigachad poultry]

Hello and good morning! I'm thinking about possibly getting Cayuga ducks from a breeder who's getting rid of his flock. I'm either getting a breeding trio (2 hens and 1 drake), but I'm not sure if that's safe for the hens knowing what can happen with mallards. Or I might get 5-7 eggs and do a hatch. What is the better option?

I've heard about ducks eating grass and how Muscovy ducks in large areas can feed themselves in the summer but they need more food when grass and bugs are harder to get. Can I lower feed costs by letting them take turns with my chickens? I have a really big property I think I'd be able to fence off some of it for the ducks. Also I do plan on having a feeder for them, but my question is if this idea will lower feed costs?

Aldo I'm wondering what type of duck coop is good for them. I know that ducks are fine when it rains, and I know Cayuga ducks are okay when it snows. But my question is if any of the photos below are duck safe? I have plans for making it fox/cat proof and the crows in my area keep all the hawks far away. Here are some photos of coops I'm thinking about building if I do get ducks.

I would put this one inside of a larger run

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Muscovy do best when allowed to free range. They don't need water the same way as mallard based breeds do. Muscovy also will roost, where other breeds don't. It can affect what type of pen you make for them. Muscovy also can fly.

Keeping any ducks in a smaller area can end up being a stinky mess. Mallard based breeds need to swim, and will need more maintenance of the pond, or water source.

One drake needs at least 5-10 hens so they don't damage the hens. I'd be wary of only 2 hens, but you could keep the drake separately and introduce him as needed.

 

[Gigachad poultry]

Muscovy do best when allowed to free range. They don't need water the same way as mallard based breeds do. Muscovy also will roost, where other breeds don't. It can affect what type of pen you make for them. Muscovy also can fly.

Keeping any ducks in a smaller area can end up being a stinky mess. Mallard based breeds need to swim, and will need more maintenance of the pond, or water source.

One drake needs at least 5-10 hens so they don't damage the hens. I'd be wary of only 2 hens, but you could keep the drake separately and introduce him as needed.

thanks for the info! im not going to keep Muscovys duck, just Cayuga ducks. Im also doing lots of research on that breed and they seem to be a quieter breed and more calm allowing for them to be kept in pairs or trios. I will be sure to give hem a deep water source with plenty of duckweed as a nice and healthy snack! I'm prepared for the mess and smell but i want them to free roam and i want to give the coop wheel so i can move it to a location where i can hose it off easily. If they free roam will they get most of their diet that way like I've read? again thanks for the info!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

thanks for the info! im not going to keep Muscovys duck, just Cayuga ducks. Im also doing lots of research on that breed and they seem to be a quieter breed and more calm allowing for them to be kept in pairs or trios. I will be sure to give hem a deep water source with plenty of duckweed as a nice and healthy snack! I'm prepared for the mess and smell but i want them to free roam and i want to give the coop wheel so i can move it to a location where i can hose it off easily. If they free roam will they get most of their diet that way like I've read? again thanks for the info!

Hopefully someone more familiar with Cayuga can give some advice. I only keep muscovy, so when I saw muscovy it's all I read apparently.

 

[Evadig]

I don’t have Cayugas but I have had Pekings and now I have three ducklings, each a different breed.

Right now I have a male and two females but they’re still young so I don’t know if they’ll get along as they get older. My Pekings were the sweetest couple you’d ever seen, the male would never be aggressive to the female - but they were special ducks.

I generally let mine free range all day and only feed them at night. They get unlimited access to food and water as long as they’re locked up.

If you want to hose off their living area I would lay some 12’ wide by X’ long pieces of treated lumber down. Alternatively, you could use pea gravel or drainage rocks but if you live in an area with clay soil the wood would probably be better.

Definitely lay some opened feed bags down in their house before placing the bedding, if at all possible. It makes cleaning so much easier in my experience. For my newest house I stapled heavy duty weed barrier fabric along the bottom and up the sides a few inches instead.

Ducks definitely like sleeping outside, in a pool if possible, but they don’t like wind.

I’m sorry this is such a long post! I hope it helped!

 

[Gigachad poultry]

Hopefully someone more familiar with Cayuga can give some advice. I only keep muscovy, so when I saw muscovy it's all I read apparently.

Well thanks for the info I have a friend who wants to get Muscovy ducks so this is good to know!

 

[Gigachad poultry]

I don’t have Cayugas but I have had Pekings and now I have three ducklings, each a different breed.

Right now I have a male and two females but they’re still young so I don’t know if they’ll get along as they get older. My Pekings were the sweetest couple you’d ever seen, the male would never be aggressive to the female - but they were special ducks.

I generally let mine free range all day and only feed them at night. They get unlimited access to food and water as long as they’re locked up.

If you want to hose off their living area I would lay some 12’ wide by X’ long pieces of treated lumber down. Alternatively, you could use pea gravel or drainage rocks but if you live in an area with clay soil the wood would probably be better.

Definitely lay some opened feed bags down in their house before placing the bedding, if at all possible. It makes cleaning so much easier in my experience. For my newest house I stapled heavy duty weed barrier fabric along the bottom and up the sides a few inches instead.

Ducks definitely like sleeping outside, in a pool if possible, but they don’t like wind.

I’m sorry this is such a long post! I hope it helped!

Thanks for the information! Your ducks and geese are the cutest I will be sure to iluse my paper feed bags as they roll easily. I don't normally use bedding with. My coops, I instead plan on using a thin layer of hay. I can easily just get more bags and I have lots of hay I use for my nest boxes. I will give them a smaller tub if water in their run, however I will have a larger area for them to swim in.