Cayuga Duckling with white feathers?

[CayugaJana]

I have a cayuga duckling that's about 3-4 weeks old. She has a couple white spots in her down as she doesn't have all of her feathers yet. My other 5 cayuga ducklings are all black. I bought them from Metzers so I would think they know what they are doing. Anyone had this and did they grow up to have white feathers? I know they get white feathers as they get older but I didn't think they had white as ducklings.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I don't know about that breed of duck specifically, but many younger poultry will have feather colors that aren't there when the get their adult feathers. Also there are definitely birds that aren't breed correct, it happens often in hatchery stock. As long as it's mostly black I would assume it's just baby feathers.

 

[CayugaJana]

Well I hope it's just the down and the feathers will come in black. I love their coloring and their calm, quiet nature.

Metzers were really good about shipping, let's hope they are good at breeding them too. I'll try to update as she gets bigger.

 

[Niche Flock]

I agree, it could just be the baby down. Did you purchase them all sexed? I have two Cayugas, when they were younger one was solid black and the other was black with a little "bib" around her neck...made it easy to tell her apart from the other one and she grew into her name "Bibby" (yeah I know, REAL creative, haha!)
As she developed, her bib disappeared and the only remnant is a tiny white speck on the side of her bill. They say that the coloration of a duck isn't "final" until their second year after multiple molts. Who knows!!

 

[lomine]

It's not uncommon for them to have white down. Female Cayuga are supposed to get more white feathers each time they molt. I've read that they can be almost completely white by the time they're 6 years old. Males don't get white feathers.

 

[CayugaJana]

I agree, it could just be the baby down. Did you purchase them all sexed? I have two Cayugas, when they were younger one was solid black and the other was black with a little "bib" around her neck...made it easy to tell her apart from the other one and she grew into her name "Bibby" (yeah I know, REAL creative, haha!)
As she developed, her bib disappeared and the only remnant is a tiny white speck on the side of her bill. They say that the coloration of a duck isn't "final" until their second year after multiple molts. Who knows!!

Yes I purchased them sexed. They are now half peeping half honking with their teenager voices. It's hilarious.

 

[g_yyuzu]

It's not uncommon for them to have white down. Female Cayuga are supposed to get more white feathers each time they molt. I've read that they can be almost completely white by the time they're 6 years old. Males don't get white feathers.

wow are you serious?? i ordered 3 ducks and all were female and i ordered 1 cayuga 1 black runner and 1 pekin. guess i shoulve ordered a male cayuga instead the colors on the cayuga are AMAZING

 

[Katiepusey86]

I have 2 female cayuga boutique from metzer. They are 7 weeks old. I found this forum when I was googling if is normal for cayugas to get white tiped wings.

My 1,Louise is all black with some brown through out her feet
My other 1, Thelma is all black but at the very tip of her wings is white. You can see the white really good all the time.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have 2 female cayuga boutique from metzer. They are 7 weeks old. I found this forum when I was googling if is normal for cayugas to get white tiped wings.

My 1,Louise is all black with some brown through out her feet
My other 1, Thelma is all black but at the very tip of her wings is white. You can see the white really good all the time.

More than likely they will molt into their beautiful blk feathers soon

 

[Katiepusey86]

At first I thought it was the boney(not sure what the tip of feather is called)tip of her feathers coming in but looking closer it's full feather just a little white into black.. and their iridescent colors are so beautiful