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Keeping Cayuga Ducks
The Cayuga duck is one of the different kinds of domesticated ducks
that are raised primarily for their eggs and meat. There are some
raisers though that keeps Cayuga ducks for ornamental purposes. The
name of this breed, Cayuga, is derived from Cayuga Lake, one of the
Finger Lakes in New York. The Cayuga breed was first bred near this
lake, hence the name. Some believe that the Cayuga ducks originated
when a miller from Duchess, a county in New York captured caught two
ducks there and decided to brood them. The meat of Cayuga ducks are
very known for its strong flavor.
Cayuga ducks are medium-class breeds and have been a popular variety in
the USA since the 17th century. The usual weight for mature males is
about 9 lbs and females could weigh up to 8 lbs. The Cayuga ducks are
distinguished by their black bill and feathers that are glistening
green when flashed with light. During breeding, stress is placed on
proper coloration, carriage and a large bosom. This breed has dark
brown eyes, dark shaft and toes. However, mature Cayuga drakes can have
an orange tone. The Cayuga ducklings start with black feathers. In most
farm exhibitions for Cayuga ducks, a tint of white plumage is a ground
for disqualification. This breed is very domestic as they have the
tendency to be always near their coop.
Unlike the hoarse and load quacks of the Peking Duck, Cayuga ducks have
a mild quack, and can only be heard very occasionally. This breed is
best if you want to raise ducks in the suburbs since the neighbors
won’t be disturbed by the constant quacking that some duck breeds do.
Also, since the Cayuga is a very domesticated breed they are very
obedient and most of the time docile.
Aside from grower feeds, feed your Cayuga ducks with hunting snails,
worms and other small insects.
More often than not, the Cayuga duck will sit and brood their eggs much
frequently than other duck breeds. Normally, the egg incubation lasts
not more than a month. When you are using an incubator, set the
temperature to not more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and ensure that it
is properly moisturized for the whole period of incubation. You should
also slightly lower the temperature to 98.5 degrees Fahrenheit and
increase moisture to 94 per cent during the last two days of
incubation.
The Cayuga is a very productive duck and can produce 120-150 eggs every
year. At first, the eggs will appear black, but as they mature, the
eggs become gray, and then slowly turn to white before they hatch. The
meat of this duck breed is very flavorful, and in 1874, the Cayuga duck
was formally recognized as a quality produce by the American Poultry
Association’s Standard of Perfection.
As many have noted, the meat of the Cayuga breed is very palatable, but
the body can be very hard to clean due to their black plumage. To
resolve this “dark” problem, they skin the ducks instead of the
traditional plucking.
Presently, the Cayuga breed is known as the hardiest of the farm ducks
but can easily be domesticated if naturally raised. They can adapt to
the winter season of the arctic regions, and can still produce
offspring during that season.
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