Duck Breed Focus - Cayuga

[cayugaducklady]

I used probios probiotics and I ordered them from Amazon. My local TSC will have them in stock occasionally-- usually in the horse aisle.

I also ordered bag of brewer's yeast with garlic from Amazon. Red bag- can't remember the name.

 

[Tevyes Dad]

I used probios probiotics and I ordered them from Amazon. My local TSC will have them in stock occasionally-- usually in the horse aisle.

I also ordered bag of brewer's yeast with garlic from Amazon. Red bag- can't remember the name.

I don't know how much is in there, or how bad it is but I would rather error on the over cautious especially with 'lings. Garlic (and onions) are not supposed to be good for ducks. I have had no personal experience here and am just parroting what I have read, but it threw a red flag for me.

 

[cayugaducklady]

This is the guide I used in addition to Storey's Duck book.

http://fresheggsdaily.com/2012/02/basic-duckling-care-raising-healthy.html

I sprinkled a cap of that Thomas Labs brewers yeast on their feedings.

I couldn't find Niacin only at my local feed store or at TSC. I got ducklings months after the local chicken enthusiasts got their new batch for chicks .

 

[Tevyes Dad]

This is the guide I used in addition to Storey's Duck book.

http://fresheggsdaily.com/2012/02/basic-duckling-care-raising-healthy.html

I sprinkled a cap of that Thomas Labs brewers yeast on their feedings.

I couldn't find Niacin only at my local feed store or at TSC. I got ducklings months after the local chicken enthusiasts got their new batch for chicks .

If Storey's advocates garlic, I would say it is OK. But here http://www.liveducks.com/duckcare.html it is on their "no-no" list. As I said earlier, I don't KNOW, I have just seen several references that indicate it might be bad. I just got my Niacin in the human section of Wal*mart

 

[HennyPenny2]

After reading more on different duck breeds I am now torn as to what to get. This duck is such a beautiful breed. I only want two females to add to my small backyard flock and originally had planned on 2 Khakis but now I'm thinking maybe one Khaki and one Cayuga. I see conflicting reports about quietness however and that is fairly important to me as my neighbors are close. Although their dogs barking are far more noisy then I imagine ducks would be or my chickens. So on average are these two a good choice? Would one of each and being females be good together? Please help me decide what to get and for the record I do not want or like Muskavoy (sp?) so they are out of the question no offense to those who have them.

 

[Cockatrice6420]

After reading more on different duck breeds I am now torn as to what to get. This duck is such a beautiful breed. I only want two females to add to my small backyard flock and originally had planned on 2 Khakis but now I'm thinking maybe one Khaki and one Cayuga. I see conflicting reports about quietness however and that is fairly important to me as my neighbors are close. Although their dogs barking are far more noisy then I imagine ducks would be or my chickens. So on average are these two a good choice? Would one of each and being females be good together? Please help me decide what to get and for the record I do not want or like Muskavoy (sp?) so they are out of the question no offense to those who have them.

I have a mixed flock of ducks and chickens. Ducks are noisy chatty things and can get loud in a humorous way. Drakes (males) make virtually no noise, just whistles, grunts, and me me me. Ducks make all the noise. My duck flock consists of 11 members, though one khaki thinks she's a chicken and beds with them, in all I have 4 khaki ducks, 3 cayuga ducks, one blue Indian runner duck, and three blue Indian runner drakes. I think I have one or two drakes too many, but everyone seems happy. The cayuga eggs are an impressive black color the first egg or two of the season, and start lightening to a grey color as the season goes on. Mine are treated like land race ducks, but I provide pools and ponds for their larger bodies to rest in. Cayuga are good for ages right along with my other two breeds. I really love watching them. If you do get cayuga, know they don't lay as many eggs as the khaki or Indian runner, but they are just as tasty. Also make sure shade is provided for summer months. Good luck and have fun!

 

[HennyPenny2]

I have a mixed flock of ducks and chickens. Ducks are noisy chatty things and can get loud in a humorous way. Drakes (males) make virtually no noise, just whistles, grunts, and me me me. Ducks make all the noise. My duck flock consists of 11 members, though one khaki thinks she's a chicken and beds with them, in all I have 4 khaki ducks, 3 cayuga ducks, one blue Indian runner duck, and three blue Indian runner drakes. I think I have one or two drakes too many, but everyone seems happy. The cayuga eggs are an impressive black color the first egg or two of the season, and start lightening to a grey color as the season goes on. Mine are treated like land race ducks, but I provide pools and ponds for their larger bodies to rest in. Cayuga are good for ages right along with my other two breeds. I really love watching them. If you do get cayuga, know they don't lay as many eggs as the khaki or Indian runner, but they are just as tasty. Also make sure shade is provided for summer months. Good luck and have fun!

Thank you for a quick reply! I imagine a lot of ducks would be pretty noisy, I'm just wondering exactly how noisy would these two be? Nosier than a chicken when she sings her egg song? Like I can hear them loud and clear inside my house? I don't care much about eggs so that isn't an issue I have plenty with 6 hens. I did buy a 25 gal, stock tub to let them play in, and I am working on shading that half of the run where they will be housed. The Cayuga eggs do look amazing and will be a nice touch to my flock of Easter Eggers.

 

[Cockatrice6420]

Thank you for a quick reply! I imagine a lot of ducks would be pretty noisy, I'm just wondering exactly how noisy would these two be? Nosier than a chicken when she sings her egg song? Like I can hear them loud and clear inside my house? I don't care much about eggs so that isn't an issue I have plenty with 6 hens. I did buy a 25 gal, stock tub to let them play in, and I am working on shading that half of the run where they will be housed. The Cayuga eggs do look amazing and will be a nice touch to my flock of Easter Eggers.

I can hear the ducks quack from across the acre and they can be as loud as the rooster just outside my window, lol. Of couse without a full choir of them, it's going to be a bit quieter for you. Ironically, the ducks quack for conversation kinda whenever and don't announce the coming of eggs. They will tattle on another bird laying an egg. And yes, the eggs make a beautiful contrast. Oh, and ducks don't train to a nesting area well. Most people, including myself, I've read, find the eggs wherever sometimes even in their pond.

Here's a cayuga egg we got a couple days ago.

OBTW: Khakis will lay any number of colored eggs, white, brown, tan, blue, etc. depending on how much of which breed presents itself in the individual.

 

[PotatoWaffles]

I know you said you had some issues with shipping but didn't say what, Metzer has all the breeds you were looking at and they sex their birds and 6 will cost the same as 2 (they will ship as few as 2 but because there is a minimum order amount, 2-6 costs the same). I got all my birds except for the first two (who I got semi-locally) from Metzer and they were all healthy. Metzer is in CA so they don't have to travel too far to get there. I have 4 runners (black, blue, chocolate, fawn & white), 2 Swedish(black, blue), 1 WH, 1 Cayuga, 1 White Crested and 1 Rouen all from Metzer - in the spring I will be ordering a Buff, a Pekin and a Khaki Campbell from them all birds I have gotten from them and will get were/will be sexed.

Look at your duckies all teeny and bitty I am trying to figure out who the yellow ones are, I see the fawn white runner and the WH, but it looks like two white crested?

 

[Cockatrice6420]

The top three are khaki eggs, the lower three are cayuga.