Cayuga???

[tomynoks]

I'll try the sunflower seeds too.

 

[cayugaducklady]

My girls all have different olive shading on their bills. That might something that is unique to the individual. I do have one duck that has a mostly green bill like that. She also has a permanent S- wrinkle in the center of her bill- something that was present as a hatchling.

The thicker neck and deeper chest may be a male sex-linked trait. Other species like horses show thicker more muscled necks . But i have no idea if that is true for ducks.

As far as I know I don't have any drakes *crosses fingers* At 6 months old none of them have a drake curl.

If one of my girls turns out to be a drake I'll have to scramble to prevent fertilized eggs. We don't want to hatch any ducklings.

 

[tomynoks]

Just eat them all and don't let anyone sit on them. I would like to hatch some, but in the spring when they're easier to find homes for.

 

[tomynoks]

Update: All 4 Cayugas are now in full color and look great!! I also have 10 eggs I. The incubator (runner, Cayuga, Ancona) and they should hatch around the 27th. I have 6 eggs I. My Uncles incubator that should hatch this week! I've never hatched eggs before so I'm pretty excited. My Uncle hatched 8 Wyondotte chicks on NY day!

 

[cayugaducklady]

Yay!

 

[tomynoks]

. First confirmed Cayuga egg!!! It's very small and darker on the large end. I got some grayish eggs previously but wasn't sure who was laying them. I caught Talle, one of my Cayuga hens, on the nest just now and this little egg was very warm.

 

[Miss Lydia]

. First confirmed Cayuga egg!!! It's very small and darker on the large end. I got some grayish eggs previously but wasn't sure who was laying them. I caught Talle, one of my Cayuga hens, on the nest just now and this little egg was very warm.

Congrats!!!

 

[PotatoWaffles]

. First confirmed Cayuga egg!!! It's very small and darker on the large end. I got some grayish eggs previously but wasn't sure who was laying them. I caught Talle, one of my Cayuga hens, on the nest just now and this little egg was very warm.

Congrats on the egg I'm a little envious; my Cayuga girl has only ever laid white eggs, lol.

Not to veer off subject or hijack your thread, but while we are talking about cayugas, does anyone know about when their white feathers start to come in? My Michelle is just about done molting, and a number of her feathers are coming in gray/white. I knew it would happen but I figured she would be at least two or three years old. She's only 11 months old. My chocolate runner is 9 months old, and she molted a couple months ago, and all her feathers are lovely dark chocolate, no white yet. Not that it really bothers me, I think they look pretty either way. I'm just surprised to see white feathers so early. Just curious when everyone else's cayugas go gray. I only have one Cayuga so nothing to compare her to.

 

[Orca5094]

Congrats on the egg I'm a little envious; my Cayuga girl has only ever laid white eggs, lol.

Not to veer off subject or hijack your thread, but while we are talking about cayugas, does anyone know about when their white feathers start to come in? My Michelle is just about done molting, and a number of her feathers are coming in gray/white. I knew it would happen but I figured she would be at least two or three years old. She's only 11 months old. My chocolate runner is 9 months old, and she molted a couple months ago, and all her feathers are lovely dark chocolate, no white yet. Not that it really bothers me, I think they look pretty either way. I'm just surprised to see white feathers so early. Just curious when everyone else's cayugas go gray. I only have one Cayuga so nothing to compare her to.

I only have two female Cayugas, but both started to get in some white feathers at the same age as yours (just before their first birthday). One just got a tiny spot of white on her underside, while the other got a couple good-sized splashes of white on her side. Apparently with each moult they will get in more and more white feathers (these are my first Cayugas, so I'm learning as I go). I'm kind of excited to see how their looks will change each year. And now they are much easier to tell apart!

 

[tomynoks]

Yes all 3 of my Cayuga girls are last springs hatch and one has 2 white feathers already.