Cayuga Duck

[OneLuckeyWife]

Our Cayuga duck, Pepper, is about 8 months old and still doesn’t lay any eggs.

Any advice or wisdom for me?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well waiting is about all you can do, She'll probably start anytime now since days will begin to lengthen. Be sure you are giving her top quality feed and putting oyster shell out on the side for her. You could try putting a fake egg in her house making a lil nest out of bedding just to let her know this is a good place to lay once she starts.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Are you sure she is a she?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Does she quack loud or sound like she has a raspy cold in her nose.

 

[OneLuckeyWife]

Does she quack loud or sound like she has a raspy cold in her nose.

She is definitely a she. Such a loud quack. Plus the drake mates with her.

 

[CayugaJana]

Mine are the same age and haven’t laid eggs either. I’m expecting them to anyday. They lay less eggs than some breeds, so I’m not too surprised they haven’t yet.

 

[OneLuckeyWife]

Mine are the same age and haven’t laid eggs either. I’m expecting them to anyday. They lay less eggs than some breeds, so I’m not too surprised they haven’t yet.

Good to know. Do you know if they will sit on chicken eggs? Or do they know the difference?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Chickens hatch sooner then ducks. Not sure I would try it.
Duck hens will also go for a quick swim then come back to the nest wetter then a mom hen ever would.

Here are a couple threads. Neither say if they did it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/anyone-ever-hatch-chicken-eggs-under-a-duck.643401/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/will-a-duck-hatch-and-raise-chicken-eggs.404819/

Wondering why not to let her hatch ducks when and if she goes broody?

 

[CayugaJana]

Chickens hatch sooner then ducks. Not sure I would try it.
Duck hens will also go for a quick swim then come back to the nest wetter then a mom hen ever would.

Here are a couple threads. Neither say if they did it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/anyone-ever-hatch-chicken-eggs-under-a-duck.643401/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/will-a-duck-hatch-and-raise-chicken-eggs.404819/

Wondering why not to let her hatch ducks when and if she goes broody?

 

[CayugaJana]

Good to know. Do you know if they will sit on chicken eggs? Or do they know the difference?

They probably wouldn’t know the difference. But from what I understand cayugas are not great mothers and don’t sit until they fully hatch very often. Not to say that some couldn’t be great. We will see this spring and summer.

I’ve also heard of duck mommas leading the chicks into the pond and them drowning.