Bought Runners by accident

[Funkhaus Farm]

About 6 weeks ago I was in Rural King buying stuff for my hens and noticed they had a brooder full of ducklings. I asked the clerk for a half dozen white pekins because I thought I'd try raising them up for meat. Well, it turns out what she thought were pekins are in fact runners. I'm a little disappointed. I really didn't plan on keeping/housing them past 8 weeks. Assuming no drakes, I may keep them for eggs but only if I can house them with my hens. I'm not prepared to build a separate coop for them. I'm not interested in keeping them just as pets. They don't even like me. Any adivice?

 

[Poultry parent]

you can house them with your hens as long as they can easily get into the coop (ducks are horrible at jumping) and the bedding in the coop is thick since they sleep on the floor

 

[Funkhaus Farm]

If I decide against butchering them but keep them for eggs, which I understand is what they are bred for, should I change what I am feeding them? I have been feeding meat bird crumbles. My hens just started laying this week so they are on layer pellets.

 

[Poultry parent]

you can feed them layer pellets

 

[Funkhaus Farm]

Great! One more question: at six weeks old, should I be able to tell the ducks from the drakes? If so, how? I guess that's two questions.

 

[Poultry parent]

well, i haven't had ducks long, but when the drake feather (the curled one on their tail) appears that is the easiest to spot way but it doesn't come in till their first molt is over, the drake and duck sound different from one another a drake sounds raspy and a duck does the classic quack, the males are also bigger.

 

[TLWR]

My runners got their voice around 8 weeks. Girls will give that well defined loud quack. Boys have a hoarse sound. If you have at least one of each, you should be able to hear the difference easily once they are all talking.