Cayuga started laying have a few ???

[desiree210]

Hi my cayuga started laying, yesturday was egg #1 and today she layed egg #2. My question is can I still let her out of the coop to forage and swim or should I leave her in the coop. The drake is with her but she is the boss he dosent mess with her and from what ive seen she will only mate with him in the water and only on her terms. He dosent duck rape.....from what ive seen. Should I let them both out so they can mate or will that mess her up when it comes to her laying? Any information is appreciated

Thank You,
First time duck owner

 

[silkiecuddles]

Unless she's making a nest and planning on hatching, I'd gather eggs daily and let her out each day. If she does hatch, keep a CLOSE eye on the male. We used to have a male and female mallards, and the male killed lots of the ducklings.
Mallards are more wild than other ducks, so when they lay they plan on hatching. Other ducks, like Pekins, or Khaki, just lay daily like a chicken. I don't know about cayugas, so I don't know if she's laying or plans on hatching.

Feel free to ask me any questions!

 

[desiree210]

Thank you for the info. She has laid everyday for 3 days straight, she gets vocal when i go near the coop, she heads straight to her nesting box. Im wanting to get ducklings since cayuga are hard to find in san antonio I've been asked to sell mine but i raised them since ducklings so not willing to sell. They are great ducks very quiet and their black, lavender and beetle green plumage is beautiful. Should i buy an incubator or let nature take its place? Also one egg isn't as big as the other two should i be concerned for that egg?

 

[Richb353]

Welcome,
With my girls, the first few eggs are small and nearly black. I suppose after some practice, the eggs turn a light grey and are significantly larger.

Love me my Cayugas!

 

[desiree210]

Yes they are gorgeous ducks...look just like mine. Her eggs are on the light side,a very light grey. do you think it depends on the duck

 

[silkiecuddles]

Some incubators may not be as reliable as letting your duck do it naturally.
Even if it's smaller, I'd just leave it under her if your doing natural

 

[desiree210]

Hi my cayuga started laying, yesturday was egg #1 and today she layed egg #2. My question is can I still let her out of the coop to forage and swim or should I leave her in the coop. The drake is with her but she is the boss he dosent mess with her and from what ive seen she will only mate with him in the water and only on her terms. He dosent duck rape.....from what ive seen. Should I let them both out so they can mate or will that mess her up when it comes to her laying? Any information is appreciated

Thank You, 
First time duck owner 

I posted 23 days ago about egg #2 there are now 16 eggs, she's still laying an egg a day
I live in Texas the weather has been fluctuating but a steady temp. Do fertilized duck eggs go bad? Not sure how this works.

 

[silkiecuddles]

Hatch rate of fertile eggs goes down after about 7 days.
Is she brroody?

 

[desiree210]

Hatch rate of fertile eggs goes down after about 7 days.
Is she brroody?

Umm how do I know if she's broody? She lays the eggs in her nest and covers them with straw but I heard she wouldn't sit til done laying.... Up to 20 or more eggs?

 

[silkiecuddles]

I don't know about ducks but my pigeons lay the first egg, then sits on them, but not ON them until the second egg is laid. That way they incubate together and hatch at the same time.

Has she been sitting on them the entire 23 days? The first eggs she laid will probably not hatch if they're 3 weeks old.