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Cayuga Ducks
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Names
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. . Canard de Cayuga.
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Country Of Origin;.
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........ USA
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Carriage;
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A broad deep long bodied duck.
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Purpose;...
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.......Meat Production: Egg
Production:....Seasonal layer,
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Egg Colour
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; .......................black outer
..white shell under sooty pigment large
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Egg Numbers
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.............80 /100 . . Seasonal layer,
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Breed Defects. .
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. . . .Orange legs; white in male feathers
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Broodiness:..
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. . accepatble often a private
mother hiding the eggs well . . Incubation:
28 days Maturity:
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Breed Hints....
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Kept as trio or pair .. will go
broody and hatch
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Weights;
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6 to 9 pounds
drake 3,0 - 3,5 kg duck 2,7 - 3,1 kg
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Breed Tip
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****Females
have white feathering as they age .. starting
with a few white flecks until by 6yrs the
female is often
white.NEVER
any white on the male.
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Flying .
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females occasionally fly when young
a good back garden all rounder;
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Genetic profile
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Gene : Extended black
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symbol E
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Dominant.
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Causes solid black pigment to be laid down in
all areas except those influenced by genes for
white spotting. Typical of the Black
Orpington(USA) Black Cayuga and Black East
Indian. Evidence exists suggesting that extended
black influences eggshell colour giving it a
grey tint when crossed or 'improved' this is
lost first
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STANDARDS:*
Appearance: Bill, slate/black Legs,
orange/black Plumage, black with beetle green gloss. A
broad deep long bodied duck. lumage in both sexes is a
deep green black with a pronounced sheen. Bill is black
legs and webs as dark as possible black for preference.
Needs: Do require water for swimming
to stay health, also need it changing regularly as the
oil that produces the sheen and gloss will scum the water
HISTORY;
The first ducks were shown at the Greaty
Exhibition at Crystal Palace in 1851. Their name is taken
from Lake Cayuga in New York State. Lewis Wright talks of
the original imports having been brownish black and many
birds having a white irregular ring around the drakes
neck. He states that the selective breeding initialy
reduced the size which as he also puts the East Indies
then as 4/5 pounds reinforces the idea of a common
pedigree. By the 1890's the cayugas were measured at 19
pound per pair and resembling the Aylesbury in
carriage**see engraving below**
It carries the blood of the original wild
black duck, the Black East Indies,(See BEI page)
and probably some Rouen blood introduced for the purpose
of larger size. The Cayuga should be bred to the meat
type. Desired weights are: Adult drake, 8 lbs.; adult
duck, 7 lbs.; young duck, 6 lbs. Some Cayugas fail to
attain these weights, and specimens of decidedly
deficient size should not be bred. .
BREEDING
CONDITIONS:
Kept as groups or alternatively trios
..depending upon the drakes energy levels. They lay
through the year normally starting in the spring and will
brood their eggs if left to sit. The eggs are meant to be
covered in a black/dark grey film which will wash off
though many now lay white eggs.
**Standards used are the Poultry
Club of Great Britain pub 1998**
The following article appeared in our Yearbook and
is from one of the leading Breeders
CAYUGAS'
COMEBACK;
The Cayuga duck is
making a terrific comeback, both in terms of the numbers
being shown, and in the high quality one sees at the
shows. During the 1987 Show season, Cayugas were judged
Champion or Reserve Champion Duck or Champion Waterfowl,
on several occasions, and in at lone case Grand Champion
over all (chickens included) This is not a localized
phenomenon by one breeder or one judge, but occurred on
both East and West coasts, the Midwest and the South, and
was accomplished by several breeders. Whether this trend
continues or whether the Cayuga is just going through a
cycle of popularity remains to be seen. At any rate more
good Cayugas are being bred and exhibited now than in
quite some time.Much has been written regarding the
Cayugas' early history and development which will not be
dwelled upon here. Suffice it to say, when the first
Pekins were imported into this country, the Cayugas' fate
as a commercial duck was doomed as were a number of other
breeds as well. Given credit for keeping the breed alive
over the last Eighty or so years belongs to the
'stringman', who carried the Cayuga along with their
other other breeds to show at the fairs. Research has not
turned up one Breeder who bred and exhibited Cayugas
exclusively as breeders of Rouen's, Runners, Calls, etc.
have done.So why the recent increase in popularity? The
first attraction has to be one Cayugas beauty One has to
look very hard to find another domesticated fowl with a
more brilliant green sheen on black plumage. Seeing a
freshly bathed Cayugas preening itself in full sunlight
is a sight any waterfowl fancier will not soon forget.
Also as Cayugas seem to mature rather slowly,keep feeding
them well into their second year to obtain maximum size.
Breeding for and holding the brilliant green sheen
probably causes more problems for breeders than any other
trait. A fairly common problem exists in that Cayuga
females and especially the most brilliant green ones,
tend to moult in white feathers in their body plumage
with age. This is not to be confused with white under the
Jaw (which should be culled out in young birds). These
white body feathers usually appear in females after their
first adult moult, and becomes more prevalent in each
successive moult until some females appear almost pure
white after 5 or 6 years of age. While some females don't
get white body feathers until their 3rd or 4th year,
these are usually the self same individuals that lacked
the maximum sheen to begin with. So the breeder is faced
with a problem. In order to show old females he largely
must be content with birds with a little less lustre
effect on the sheen of his young birds.
One may breed these females to
brilliant green drakes with good results although if this
practice is continued year after year, I believe the
breeder will notice an overall dulling effect on the
sheen of young birds . On the other hand if extremely
brilliant green birds are bred together year in and year
out the white ageing in females will continue until the
young females in their first fall may start to show white
body feathers. So while we have a situation that requires
the breeders constant attention and judgment it is really
no worse that other color breeding problems in other
breeds. By the way Cayuga males rarely if ever turn -
white with age. Some may develop white bibs or white
under jaw when they first feather in and these males
should be culled. From then on Cayuga drakes stay black
their entire life. Bill coloring is rather easily bred
for; the standard calling for pure black in both sexes. A
small amount of slate or green at the tip of the bill of
an otherwise good bird is nothing to worry about. Yellow
in the bill however should not be tolerated in the show
or breed pen The standard calls for black legs and feet
and this also is not a problem once fixed in a blood
line. Males may show some reddish orange cast to their
legs as they age and this more or less is normal but
should be guarded against in young birds. Conditioning
Cayugas for exhibition is not a problem if kept in fairly
clean pens or runs, with clean bathing water, they really
condition themselves. All that remains to wipe any mud
off bills or feet before the show. Some exhibitors wipe
or spray their Cayugas with various mixtures designed to
enhance the Sheen or lustre on to the plumage; This must
be done carefully and with restraint as dust from the
showroom may adhere to an oily coating and these dust
particles actually might dull an otherwise naturally
bright Cayuga Also a word regarding proper cooping and
lighting in the show room is in order here. To show at
its best advantage the Cayuga should not be cooped on the
bottom deck or in a dark corner of the room with poor
light. In years past, when Cayugas were shown in smaller
numbers, they were often relegated to the back corner of
the show along side the AOV ducks and I'm sure many
excellent birds were overlooked by judges due to this
practice Even with today's larger classes of Cayuga some
shows need to be made aware of this problem and steps
taken to correct it. If given a fair opportunity, today's
well bred and conditioned Cayugas can hold their own with
any breed. Cayugas are also extremely hardy, taking the
most severe Northern Winters in their stride. Thelr black
plumage being an advantage when wintered outside with
minimum shelter. Warmth from the sun being drawn to their
bodies making them more comfortable and therefore
requiring less feed than white or light plumaged breeds
which tend to reflect solar heat.
Remember this breed
was developed in upstate N.B. where severe winters are
encountered and on early 1800's style farms which more or
less let the ducks fend for themselves around the
barnyard. In summer their plumage is a disadvantage
without shade as they do seem to suffer more on the
hottest days then other breeds without it. Fertility is
rarely a problem in Cayugas, and a breeder may safely
mate 5-6 females with one male. What is more, Cayugas
males remain fertile for many years, if, well cared for
with little noticeable drop in fertility. We have used 6
and 7 year old drake with good results. one breeder
reports using one male with up to a dozen females and
getting nearly 100% fertility and while I wouldn't
recommend such a mating I don't doubt its possibilities.
Cayuga females are excellent layers, some years being the
first duck to lay in the spring, and many times laying in
the fall of their 'pullet' year if on good feed. What's
more if left to set on their own eggs, I rate them right
behind Muscovies and Mallards as Mothers.For the last
several years, when we have been crowded for incubator
room we here set goose eggs under our Cayuga hens that go
broody and they always have hatched goslings for us.
Cayugas also make good eating. If one waits until late
fall or early winter to dress them they will pick just as
clean as a white bird, their skin being a nice rich
yellow. Their flavor is wonderful! In breeding Cayugas'
type is not usually much of a problem as they breed quite
true when bred to the standard with few culls for type.
Size and Color will prove to be the breeders greatest
challenges.
This breed was once
Plagued On undersize, probably the results of some
Cayugas being compared with Black East Indies. However in
recent years this has largely been corrected I feel all
one has to do is keep an eye on the size of his birds and
breed from a larger than average bird when one occurs in
his flock provided this bird has good type and reasonably
good colour opportunity, today's well bred and
conditioned Cayugas can hold their own with any
breed
Reprinted from "International
Waterfowl Breeders Association Bulletin" March 198/ U.S.A
.........by kind permission of Mark
Nelise 
Older ducks showing the lack of colour from age...Males
NEVER have any white
Eggs of various colours from the black to
white........they boil to white!
CAYUGA;.......breeders
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Julie Christopher
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W.MIDLANDS
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Tel 0121 605 7944
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jane Anderson
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WILTSHIRE
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01793 751 171
jane@pond-house-waterfowl.fsnet.co.uk
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Tony & Sue Axon
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Devon
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Tel 01404 822 459
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HICKS WATERFOWL WORLD
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OSWESTRY
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Tel 01691 655 635
weekends
Tel 07818 036 118
weekdays
grahamhickss@hotmail.co.uk
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Mike & Sylvia Hatcher
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BERKSHIRE
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Tel 01488 638 014
hatcher579@btinternet.com
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R & J Jeynes,
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Rutland
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01572 737 310
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Frank B. Jones,
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Cheshire
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01270 811 682
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Alan Kerr
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N IRELAND
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Tel 012657 413 65
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Curtis Oakes
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Penn/USA
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001 814 425 8247
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Ros Wilson
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WILTSHIRE
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Tel 01747 870 048 or email
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Breed Specific Links
...........http://www.feathersite/Poultry/Ducks/cayuga/BRKCayuga.html
............http://www.netins.net/showcase/goldenoak/cayuga.htm
............http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/poultry/geese/CAYUGA
..............www.dallie.com.au/farm/zpic_cayuga.htm
Australian site
...........http://.www.albc-usa.org/waterfowl/cayuga_duck.htm........US
Dave Hoderead's birds
...............http://www.glasgowzoo.inyourcity.com/d59841.htm...pics
at Glasgow Zoo
..............http://www.metzerfarms.com/rouen.htm.....Metzer
Bird farms USA
..............www.geocities.com/goatacres.geo/donnasducks.html.............pics
.................www.cacklehatchery.com/cayuga.html
................US hatchery info
...............www.dianejacky.com/Poultry_Archives/
Poultry.D.L/pages/Ducks_Cayuga.htm..Poultry artist
..............http://www.west-teq.net/~rhatch/catal/p10.htm....info
................http://www.geocities.com/hennypenny2us/cayuga.html...........info
Please note that photographs and text on this
site belong to the Domestic Waterfowl Club of Great Britain.
They should not be reprinted (commercially) without prior
permission but are freeely available for educational
purposes and can be printed up for classroom use; we do not
have printed fact sheets/booklets for sale etc but can
occasionally email uncompressed digital images
email rosking@domestic-waterfowl.co.uk
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