nmr
Songster
Hi all! I got 3 of my cayugas from breeder A, who got her breeding pair from a well known cayuga breeder in NY. My 4th cayuga came from breeder B, who is also well known and has great birds. She started breeding as a 4H project with her kids some years ago.
I have 2 girls and 2 boys, with the goal of increasing our number of females since we hand raised the boys and love them too much to give up. They're also both gorgeous birds. Our two females are also gorgeous. The birds from breeder A (two boys and a girl) are about 14 weeks and the girl from breeder B is 2-4 weeks older.
I know what Holderread says about selection:
Description
Cayugas have typical duck conformation. Their bodies are moderately long, medium-wide, with good depth carried from the well-rounded chest to the moderately full abdomen. They have necks that are medium in length and diameter and only slightly arched forward. The medium-sized head is oval and the moderately long bill is slightly concave along its top line. Body carriage is approximately 20 degrees above horizontal. The crowning glory of the Cayuga is its resplendent green-black plumage.
Selecting and Preparing Show Birds
Look for ducks that have solidly built bodies and good size. Everything else being equal, the greener the plumage and the blacker the bill, legs and feet, the better. . .
Does anyone have examples of what quality conformation looks like vs non-quality? I'm just not clear on what the descriptions what a neck that only slightly arches forward or well rounded chest etc. actually look like.
I'll post more pics of my duckies when I get home, if they'll stand still long enough
Miss Violet, from breeder A
Mr. Blue, from breeder A
I'll get better pictures of them
I have 2 girls and 2 boys, with the goal of increasing our number of females since we hand raised the boys and love them too much to give up. They're also both gorgeous birds. Our two females are also gorgeous. The birds from breeder A (two boys and a girl) are about 14 weeks and the girl from breeder B is 2-4 weeks older.
I know what Holderread says about selection:
Description
Cayugas have typical duck conformation. Their bodies are moderately long, medium-wide, with good depth carried from the well-rounded chest to the moderately full abdomen. They have necks that are medium in length and diameter and only slightly arched forward. The medium-sized head is oval and the moderately long bill is slightly concave along its top line. Body carriage is approximately 20 degrees above horizontal. The crowning glory of the Cayuga is its resplendent green-black plumage.
Selecting and Preparing Show Birds
Look for ducks that have solidly built bodies and good size. Everything else being equal, the greener the plumage and the blacker the bill, legs and feet, the better. . .
Does anyone have examples of what quality conformation looks like vs non-quality? I'm just not clear on what the descriptions what a neck that only slightly arches forward or well rounded chest etc. actually look like.
I'll post more pics of my duckies when I get home, if they'll stand still long enough
Miss Violet, from breeder A
Mr. Blue, from breeder A
I'll get better pictures of them
