How Do I Get Started In Breeding Ducks?

[AnjKar n Ducks]

I been with ducks around a year and I have thought about it and I want to start breeding ducks. I'm at n 4-H and I need a project this year and I thought about the breeding was easier. I have 2 female cayugas, 1 Cayuga male and 1 khaki campbell, I was thinking just to use the female and male cayuga. I have no idea how to get started!

PS should I be worried that my khaki and my other female Cayuga have been mating, she hasn't laid any eggs yet, I think she won't lay until spring but I'm unsure.

These are the 2 I thought about pairing together, they are already inseparable

 

[DuckGirl77]

First, yes, it's normal that two female ducks are "mating," so that's nothing to worry about. That being said, I think it's cool you want to hatch ducklings!

But, first, you should know what you're going to do with them. Do you have room to keep them all if they all hatch? What will you do with excess drakes? I don't need answers to these questions, but you should know before you start.
So, are you going to try to hatch them in the incubator or try to let the duck do it herself? If you're going to have her do it, she has to decide to go broody herself. If she won't, or if she does but abandons the nest, you should have an incubator on hand. As for incubating eggs ..... well, let's just say there's a TON of information. Here's a link to some incubating info that I've found to be super helpful. Although it talks alot about hatching chicks, not ducklings, there's alot of things the two have in common, so most, if not all, of the info applies to both.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101
So now for collecting the eggs .... if you can't tell which eggs belong to which duck, you won't know whose eggs you're putting in the bator (obviously!

) Sooo if you only want to use that specific duck's eggs, you're going to have to find some way of knowing whose eggs are whose. If it doesn't matter, use whichever eggs you want. You don't need to do anything special, like get the ducks to mate, just collect your eggs!
Sorry if I'm being too basic!

I don't want to leave anything important out! Do you have any specific questions?

Have fun!

 

[AnjKar n Ducks]

@DuckGirl77

Thank you so much.

I do want her to hatch them herself I think it would be better based on what the project is about but I am prepared for her not to hatch them herself, she's always in the pool so I wasn't hoping on it.

I was think about selling the extra drakes and hens if need be. I believe I have enough room a whole new cage waiting to be used.

May seem a dumb question but...
Is it true ducks only mate during mating season or is it when they feel the urge? I kind of want them early of next year. My pair I want to use for breeding are now 1 1/2 months, I know it is young but when is it the earliest?
My khaki campbell drake and Cayuga female have mated before and they are 6 months can I try them for breeding,or is it bad due to cross breeding?


Thanks so much!

 

[junebuggena]

Ducks mate year-round. However, come spring time, the drakes get particularly randy. You can start incubating eggs once the hens are laying eggs that are consistent in size and shape, on a regular basis. This can take a few weeks or even a month.
Cayuga and Campbells can crossbreed. They are both breeds that are derived from mallards. It's muscovies, bred to mallard breeds that produce sterile 'mules.'
Invest in a good incubator. You can't rely on a hen to go broody when you want her to.

 

[DuckGirl77]

You're very welcome! I agree with junebuggena. Spring is a good time to hatch eggs, and, if they are laying now, you should be able to collect eggs next year.

 

[donkeydew2farms]

hi Anjkarnducks I have a KC and Cayuga pair she hatched out 12 babies this spring 7 brown girls and 5 black boys. blackie the Cayuga is the girl she is about 2 and half years and lays all year around except now she is going through a heavy molt. I didn't want so many my advice is to check on how many eggs are there. blackie is a very good mom there was times I thought she was going to take my face off while I was try

ing to take a peek. all of her baby girls now 5 months old are laying. I kept 1 boy the others were culled. the breast meat was tasty a friend of mine did the dirty deed and I gave him the meat.

 

[AnjKar n Ducks]

Should I be worried she hasn't laid and she is 7 months old. I keep think, just wait until spring but I feel something is wrong. :/

 

[DuckGirl77]

Should I be worried she hasn't laid and she is 7 months old. I keep think, just wait until spring but I feel something is wrong.

Maybe because it's too close to winter. I think if they're not a certain age before it starts getting cold, they won't lay until spring.

 

[junebuggena]

Maybe because it's too close to winter. I think if they're not a certain age before it starts getting cold, they won't lay until spring.

It's not the cold that affects laying. It's the shorter days. Egg production in both chickens and ducks is tied to the night/day cycles. Shorter days means less daylight. Less daylight means fewer eggs. In the case of young birds that mature in the fall, the shorter days can mean that it will take a lot longer than usual for laying to start.

 

[AnjKar n Ducks]

It's not the cold that affects laying. It's the shorter days. Egg production in both chickens and ducks is tied to the night/day cycles. Shorter days means less daylight. Less daylight means fewer eggs. In the case of young birds that mature in the fall, the shorter days can mean that it will take a lot longer than usual for laying to start.

Maybe because it's too close to winter. I think if they're not a certain age before it starts getting cold, they won't lay until spring.

Thank You