I don't have any ducks yet, but I want to get some Welsh Harlequins from Holderreads this spring for egg production. The thing is, I love the look of Cayugas and want a few of them, too - strictly as "yard ornaments". If they lay lots of eggs then that's great, but all I really want the Cayugas for is to look pretty.

Here's the dumb question: I guess it's safe to assume that the Cayugas and Welsh Harlequins will breed if allowed to run together, right? I wonder what Cayuga/Harlequin ducks will look like and what the egg production of these "mutts" would be? Our yard is fully fenced with a creek and I want to just let the ducks range freely in the fence - no segregation. Cross-breeding isn't a big issue as I just want ducks for a fun kid-friendly hobby. But I am curious and was wondering if folks might have some advice about what to expect.

Thanks!

Shannon