Does anyone have Cayugas?

[NYRIR]

I would love to get some but want to know temperament and all around info. thanks

 

[gryeyes]

I have a pair of Cayugas. I bought 2 straight run ducklings, with my fingers crossed. I would have preferred two ducks, but a pair (duck and drake) is okay, as long as he doesn't get too .....ummmm...... macho..... and try to mate any of my chicken hens. (They're in the same run.)

Thelma loves to swim. I have a 300 gallon stock tank and she dives to the bottom and swims around under water like a speed demon. She will float lazily on the surface of that pool for HOURS. Louie, on the other hand, likes the pool, but only stays in it for about 45 minutes at a time, maybe twice a day. But he stays right next to it, faithfully, as long as Thelma is swimming. They are definitely a pair; he is very devoted to her.

The first time they got out of it, my heart went into my throat. I don't want them getting hurt!

So I cobbled up a ramp so they could get in and out of that tank.

I had a kiddie pool for them first.

They aren't very old, but I've seen some signs of sexual interest. Thelma will stretch out her neck parallel to the water, then sit up and they'll bob heads at each other. Then she stretches out her neck again, and Louie will cross her neck with his. They haven't started mating, but that is courting behavior.

She's quite loud WHEN she quacks, but it's not very often or for very long at all. Maybe 3, 4 quacks at a time, usually when she is startled (bumped by a chicken, perhaps), or when everybody is dashing to greet me at the run gate. He NEVER quacks, only a soft husky sound very rarely. They do gabble quietly with each other.

 

[esthermgr]

Ooh, I want some cayuga ducks too. I'm on a large urban lot, so I'm looking forward to learning more about temperament, etc. as well. I've heard that they're wonderful dual purpose ducks and that they do better in confinement than many types of ducks.

 

[jamesrm]

How do you keep your chickens out? My RIRs I used to have would have all drowned in that lol

 

[callducklover20]

I have one now-hatched out several cayugas last year. They are very sweet, love water of coarse-one of my favorite breeds.

 

[jack & mommy's duckies]

I have 4 Cayugas......they are my babies. Great temperment. They are very cuddley......eat out of my hand. And very social. I take them to visit kids in schools. I also run home daycare and have a special needs girl here. My one girl will sit in her lap for hours letting her pet and talk all day long. It is so sweet.

I 100% recomend the breed......

 

[yotetrapper]

I have cayugas. I've not seen any signs of agression in the breed at all. Mine are not friendly, but I dont coddle young poultry like most on this site do. I think friendliness is mainly in how you raise them. Mine however, are very loud compared to my appleyards....

 

[NYRIR]

Ok..so all in all they're a nice duck.I have 3 baby mallards .(no idea whats what yet) so how would that work?I'm assuming ok from what I've heard so far...

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
Oh, several of my chickens walk right up that ramp, spread out in a row along the edge of the tank and take good, long, drinks of water.

Nobody's fallen in, as far as I know. When the kiddie pool was there, one was drinking out of it when I dropped a board nearby. She shrieked and toppled in, but flapped her way right up into the air and away from the pool.

I might have to worry about my fluffy Buffy, the BO. I don't think I've ever seen HER fly anywhere, although she can jump up a couple of feet onto something.

Back to the Cayugas, they fit in with the chickens really well. They're fairly fond of the Black Australorp. I wonder if they just think she's another duck "like them" because of her color, or they like her because she's so friendly.

The ducks decided all on their own they wanted to sleep in the coop with the chickens. They nestle together on the floor/bedding in the corner opposite the automatic door.

 

[columbiacritter]

I have two 3 yr old Cayugas. They have gotten very splotchy with white feathers, very unattractive.

One is mentally deficient and referred to as Dumb duck. The other is just a duck in the herd, very low on the dominance heirarchy to the Cambells.


They are being replaced in a few weeks by some runners who are in the brooder at the moment. I won't get them again, but will always have khaki cambells.