The Cayuga is recognized as one of the hardiest of the domestic ducks and are easily tamed if hand-raised. They tolerate harsh winters and can produce many offspring. The Cayuga averages 7-8 lbs. and has the ability to obtain much of its diet from foraging, when given appropriate areas to explore for food. The meat of the Cayuga is reputed to be of excellent taste and fine quality . I personally quit raising all other types of domestic ducks because there is no comparison in the flavor. Even though they are a dark feathered duck I have found them much easier to pluck than other breeds with fewer pin feathers.

Cayuga ducks can lay 100-150 eggs per year that can be used for general eating and baking purposes. Eggs can black in color, to green, to white. The plumage of the Cayuga is uniformly greenish black and may become mottled with white as they age. I have been working on hatching only the green eggs in an effort to produce total green egg layers.