Know it's a duckling topic in a chick forum, but....Cayuga quackers.

[prncssprplfrog]

After a day with ducklings, I think I like them better than chickens!
I hemmed & hawed about getting duck eggs. My mother/landlord said know, but what she doesn't know won't hurt her right?
Anyway- I won an auction on Ebay on April 15th, through trial and tribulation the eggs were finally shipped on April 24th & went into the incubator on April 26-27 (can't exactly remember). 4 out of the 6 made it into lock-down with HUGE wonky air cells. I had the humidity up 55-60% almost consistently but was having trouble with it.
On May 26th- after MUCH help- quackers was hatched. Then next day, again after a little less help cheese was hatched. I still have the other 2 eggs in the incubator, but hold little hope of them hatching now, as it is day 32-33.... (should I wait a few more days? I candled & I don't think it looks promising) I've got 3 dozen quail eggs waiting to go into the 'bator...

Anyway- here's a picture of Quackers & Cheese. From first impression (and if I listen to my gut, it hasn't been overly wrong yet if I'm honest to myself) I would say Quackers is a boy & Cheese is a girl. Cheese is smaller, has a littler beak which is all dark black. I guess I'll have to wait & see. C follows Q around and monkeys him & peeps loudly if he's missing.

Cheese is in front. It looks like Quackers had a rough time coming out of the egg as he has a wonkie rough spot on his lower back & a lopsided looking head. I hope these are just the way his baby down dried & not deformities. Anyone know or have clue?
No one ever told me how soft & mushy their little bellies are, or how adorably soft their little webbed feet are, or how sweetly that snuggle up on you!
My one concern is that they have so much yellow on their chests- I thought Cayugas were black?

 

[tigerrrrrrrlilly]

Ya those look black swede to me.

 

[prncssprplfrog]

BTW- the eggs were a dirty light gray... almost like white eggs got soot on them. I haven't left feedback for the seller yet. I'm really disappointed & I'm really going to be mad if I need to rehome these. I wanted Cayugas because they were quieter, aren't overly excited about water & and they are docile. My son is already attached to them. Grr....

 

[Dingo]

They could be black east indies, or calls if they are small
whatever the breed they sure are cute.

ETA: cayugas and black east indies both lay colored eggs, starting out black/gray early in the season and ending blue/grey

 

[prncssprplfrog]

Well, I'm really annoyed. I really want to email the sellers, but before I do; I want to make sure that they aren't what I was sold. I know that the only sure-fire way is to wait until they are fully feathered right?
Here's a picture what the eggs look like next to an extra large white egg. I don't know about size of the ducks as I'm new to the whole duck thing.

What should I do?

 

[katharinad]

I would not give up on the ducks, just because they may not be the breed you thought they should be. This does not necessarily mean they will be loud. By the time they are 4 weeks old you will have a good idea as when they do get noisy and how loud. I have Saxony ducks and they are so quit you don't even know they are there. They sometimes get exited over peas and my talk a little, but I have to say my normal speaking voice is louder. They stay totally quiet when going into water and having fun. They talk quietly to each other all the time. So I think it is wrong to say that only one breed is more quiet then any other breed. There is a lot of individual duck character and personality involved.
Katharina

 

[prncssprplfrog]

Katharina,
Thanks- I wasn't going to give up on them. I am just wondering if they are actually Cayugas or not. If they aren't then I should email the seller on Ebay & see that he makes it right. I don't know if I can post a link to the auction or not.....

 

[toadbriar]

take a peek at google image search results for cayuga ducklings. I am seeing varying degrees of yellow breasts on them, not bibs like swedes but more airbrushed and blended - which is how yours look to me. I don't know how the amount of yellow translates to adult markings. These may have been born from cayugas but not exhibition quality ones, you know?

I understand how you feel though - my first three anconas, which I chose as a breed with distinctive markings, hatched out solid white

 

[katharinad]

I kind of agree on the baby feather colors, they are not always what they will be later. I never had cayuga ducks so I'm not the person to ask. I would send the picture to the seller and kindly ask if that is normal. They either will respond nicely or not. You can take it from there and perhaps request your money back. I'm in Saxony ducks and when they hatch the look all over in colorings. They turn alright once the real feathers are coming in. With any duck, you don't know if you get standard or show quality. You end up with standard quality even if the parents are show quality. Only 10% of the hatchlings may be show quality. I think your ducklings are cute.
Katharina

 

[gryeyes]

Your ducklings are darling. I don't think they're Cayugas, though. They look more like Black Swedish to me, too. (I am NOT an expert, but do have two Cayugas...)

As someone else mentioned, I'd e-mail the seller with an inquiry, attaching a photo of the ducklings.