Duck Breed Focus - Cayuga

[MandyJ]

This will be my broader, after looking and deciding and thinking on it. I bought two of these. If they start to grow out of one, I can move some of them to the other. As it is way warm here in Texas, we will spend our days wandering the back yard after the first week or two, and them after they are outside full time, these stock tanks will become their ponds. They have built in drain hose that will be attathed to hoses, runnimg one to the garden, and one to my breeder daylily bed. Instant fert. water. Thoughts on this?

Mine would have outgrown that is 2 weeks! I can't believe how they grew. I used a 4 x 4 dresser box from a furniture store. Before that I was replacing the box weekly since they were growing so fast and getting crowded. I only had 5! I like the idea of a drain hose. That will be nice when you use it as a "pond".

 

[CayugaRunner]

Yes, I will have them in the house until they are able to stay outside full time. This is my first ever ducklings raising. So I am probably going to pick up a third stock tank just to have on hand, and when they go out it will become two ponds and the third will become a patio water garden.

 

[hattieDaniels]

Hi all you "old timers" with ducks! I got 2 last year and they turned out to be Cayugas and we love them. This year we got 6 pullets and 4 ducks. I have been feeding everybody medicated starter/grower crumbles. Now I read here that's absolutely horrible for the ducklings!! Help! I have one( maybe another Cayuga) that is listless and walking very slowly the last couple days. Have I killed her???? The rest seem fine. They are 6 weeks old. How much niacin do I give? What is the microgram strength? Can I save her? How?

 

[MandyJ]

Hi all you "old timers" with ducks! I got 2 last year and they turned out to be Cayugas and we love them. This year we got 6 pullets and 4 ducks. I have been feeding everybody medicated starter/grower crumbles. Now I read here that's absolutely horrible for the ducklings!! Help! I have one( maybe another Cayuga) that is listless and walking very slowly the last couple days. Have I killed her???? The rest seem fine. They are 6 weeks old. How much niacin do I give? What is the microgram strength? Can I save her? How?

I know I put 1 Tablespoon brewers yeast to 1 cup of unmedicated food. I can't give you any more information, I am a newbie as well. Good luck!!!

 

[larryh13]

Amazing write up!!!

 

[barkingpig]

Hello all,
I got my first Cayuga ducks this spring and at 3 1/2 months they appear to be mating. I have read all about the difference of the drake and duck vocalizations and listened to youtube videos. Although the apparent drake is a bit more raspy and doesn't quack as often, when he does it is just as loud as the duck, maybe even more so! He is slightly bigger and has stockier legs. I keep reading it is really their voice that is the telltale difference and of course the drake feather that he does not have at this point. My question is...is it still possible that "he" may be female and a bit confused?? Certainly happens with dogs... Has anyone found this to be the case? Thanks!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Females will mount females it's just part of their DNA best way to tell at this young age is voice and or the cork screw penis which you can't miss if your looking. If you can post a video that can help pick them up separately too and walk away from their flock that can set them off and you can tell if the one you suspect is a drake may give away his her sex. To do a video you need to put it on Viemo or you tube then copy paste here. 3.5 months is really young for mating

 

[barkingpig]

Thank you for your quick reply! I will try to get a video. The potentially confused duck is the only one that mounts and he/she pulls the neck feathers of the other duck, albeit really gently. The he/she had been very quiet up until about 3 months old (they are 4 mos. now) but now quacks more frequently. He/she is a bit different behaviorly as well. Both are developing beautiful irridescent color. At first it seemed like he/she had quite a bit more color but at this point, there isn't a whole lot of difference...at least not as much difference as I would expect between a male and a female.

More soon...

 

[Miss Lydia]

We need an expert @CayugaJana

 

[CayugaJana]

Thank you for your quick reply! I will try to get a video. The potentially confused duck is the only one that mounts and he/she pulls the neck feathers of the other duck, albeit really gently. The he/she had been very quiet up until about 3 months old (they are 4 mos. now) but now quacks more frequently. He/she is a bit different behaviorly as well. Both are developing beautiful irridescent color. At first it seemed like he/she had quite a bit more color but at this point, there isn't a whole lot of difference...at least not as much difference as I would expect between a male and a female. View attachment 1505705
More soon...

It looks like the male is the one in the back. He appears to be molting. When he sheds those feathers, he will be beautiful. I could be wrong since I haven’t listened to them, but I bet that’s the case.