I purchased 6 straight run indian runner ducklings off of craigslist this spring, they were hatched on mother's day from a mallard runner drake, a fawn hen and a blue hen. It looks like we had 3 males and 3 females judging by the tail curl. Lots of different colors! I found it hard to voice sex because they all seem to quack and won't let me get close enough to distinctly listen to each. 5 of them were pretty large and sleek and healthy looking, with smooth lines and a small layer of padding. One of the females came out looking shorter slightly than the rest with a skinnier head and more square shoulders, but still sleek. Unfortunately a predator got that female.
I later found 2 free male runners on craigslist that I figured I'd take and eat as well when I slaughtered my 2 extra males. But when I brought them home I noticed they didnt have a drake curl and their body shape was not like my drakes, they were smaller, skinnier and more square just like my deceased female. Perhaps they were still too young?
But I still had only 2 (certain) females, so back to craigslist where I found a third seller who had 2 black runner hens for pretty cheap. One was in her second summer and one hatched this year, mother and daughter. When I brought these home I found that they were even smaller than the 2 free "drakes"!
So I am left wondering, did these people make a mistake and give me 2 free hens?
And are these new black hens mixed from an even smaller breed?
Or is there just that much variety with runner genetics and colors?
Are tail curls always reliable?
What has been your experience?
Note: It could be health of the ducks that causes size difference, but all 3 places I purchased from looked pretty clean and natural and all that, no less so than my yard anyways.
Original flock:
1 mallard fawn drake
1 black drake with white and grey and brown on chest
1 brown drake with slightly green head
1 mallard hen
1 black hen with white chest
1 brown hen (deceased)
New birds:
1 blue mystery duck
1 black with white chest mystery duck
1 black hen 2nd year
1 black hen first year
I later found 2 free male runners on craigslist that I figured I'd take and eat as well when I slaughtered my 2 extra males. But when I brought them home I noticed they didnt have a drake curl and their body shape was not like my drakes, they were smaller, skinnier and more square just like my deceased female. Perhaps they were still too young?
But I still had only 2 (certain) females, so back to craigslist where I found a third seller who had 2 black runner hens for pretty cheap. One was in her second summer and one hatched this year, mother and daughter. When I brought these home I found that they were even smaller than the 2 free "drakes"!
So I am left wondering, did these people make a mistake and give me 2 free hens?
And are these new black hens mixed from an even smaller breed?
Or is there just that much variety with runner genetics and colors?
Are tail curls always reliable?
What has been your experience?
Note: It could be health of the ducks that causes size difference, but all 3 places I purchased from looked pretty clean and natural and all that, no less so than my yard anyways.
Original flock:
1 mallard fawn drake
1 black drake with white and grey and brown on chest
1 brown drake with slightly green head
1 mallard hen
1 black hen with white chest
1 brown hen (deceased)
New birds:
1 blue mystery duck
1 black with white chest mystery duck
1 black hen 2nd year
1 black hen first year
Tail curls in my experience are 100% reliable. I wonder if the size and conformation differences may be a result of mixed breeding. Can you post pictures?
