cayuga ducks with an afro head

[Big D Tapp]

So I just signed up to Backyard Chickens. My name is David and I have always liked reading the articles and reviews and they have helped me in my little farm life. I have about 50 hens, 3 roosters, 2 young geese, 4 duck hens, 1 Cayuga drake, a couple guinea, 2 rabbits, 9 Cornish x (35 days old) and a few pot belly pigs. Some are pets of my wife and the other are for food. So I have some new Cayuga duck hatchlings. I noticed 1 was born with an extra ball of fur on their head, but just wrote it off that it would grow out or something. So these babies are a couple of weeks old and the ball of fur is not going away. I have not been able to find any articles of what this is or does this mean this not a pure breed duck. So I have some more that hatched this past weekend and it appears I have another Cayuga baby that will have a ball of fur on his head. Does any one have any ideas if this is common among Cayuga ducks?

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens. I don't know anything about genetics in ducks but, I wonder if the drake is the one carrying the crest gene. It would be good if you could also post on the Duck thread and ask experts.

 

[Kiki]

Welcome Big D!
Could this be a Crested Cayuga duck?

 

[Big D Tapp]

The first picture is of 5 ducklings, about 2 weeks old with 1 of them with a ball of fur on its head and the second picture is of a single baby duck at 2 days old with a ball of fur on its head. I have 1 drake and 3 hens. So all together I have had 9 baby ducks born in the past 2 weeks and I have a 2 more duck eggs sitting under a Speckled Sussex hen at this time. Maybe 1 of the 3 hens has the Crested gene. Any feed back would be helpful.

 

[Big D Tapp]

Yepp, that's a crest. I would find out which hen is carrying the crested gene and not hatch any more of her eggs, or cull her if you want to take that route. I know I couldn't do it.

My wife is hand raising a few of the newly hatched Cayuga's so she can have a few that will not run away when she is in the yard. The rest are for eating. My wife diffidently has her favorites and her pets of all the animals we raise. I have learned a lot today and appreciate all the information.

 

[N F C]

Glad to have you join us. Thanks for sharing the pictures!

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi David and welcome to BYC - great that you have joined us.

If you ask your question, with maybe a photo on this forum -
http://www.backyardchickens.com/f/42/ducks I'm sure that you will get some assistance with your question.

You may wish to consider joining your state thread as it will put you in touch with other BYC members in your area - http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/270925/find-your-states-thread#post_3239224

All the best

CT

 

[sannabelle]

X2- sounds like you have some crested genes in these ducklings.

Can you post a picture?

 

[drumstick diva]

sounds crested

 

[sannabelle]

Yepp, that's a crest. I would find out which hen is carrying the crested gene and not hatch any more of her eggs, or cull her if you want to take that route. I know I couldn't do it.