*~*Runner Duck Club*~*

[insanity]

Yesterday I got this trio.

The call duck has identity issues and couldn't be separated. Is it possible for him to breed the runner hen?

 

[gardengoats11]

yes it is possible.

 

[Kinmera]

I have this beautiful chocolate runner aptly named chocolate by my son. He has some green/blue feathers near his wings. Is this normal? I tried to get pic of it but he wouldn't cooperate. I haven't handled them like I should have so I have a lot of work to do with them

 

[gardengoats11]

That is normal on the chocolates.

 

[gardengoats11]

The blue fawn penciled ducklings are growing very guickly. Seems they were just little fuzz balls yesterday and now they are getting feathers.Excited to see what this variety looks like. Didn't have any fawn & white females so I did the cross to get these to make more fawn & white from them.

 

[gardengoats11]

Apparently my black hen decided to go broody and continue to lay.Thursday there were 4 ducklings. Saturday there was a 5th one. Sunday there was a 6th one. Saw it spring from the egg, and noticed another egg was piped. So there should be a 7th one Monday. Maybe it is the Runner way sicce the blue hen did the same kind of staggered hatch.

 

[ZetaPet]

Congratulations on your babies!!! I cant wait till mine starts to lay!!

 

[ringaring]

Hi Gardengoats11,
Have you had any issues with your ducks accepting ducklings that hatch 2-3 days later? My last 2 hens hatched 4 eggs each and another one showed up 3 and 4 days later. Each time the new one died. The 1st time this happened, the hen would peck at her occasionally and ignore her struggles to climb to the nest which Mom had built quite a berm of straw around. She also got stepped on a lot. On day 2 I took her inside but she was too weak and died while I held her. The 2nd time, a new duckling showed up one morning and while I was watching over her, the hen also pecked at her a few times, then settled down. This one seemed stronger and able to avoid Mom's feet easier. I went back in the afternoon to monitor them for awhile and found the new duckling trampled. Now I have a hen sitting on 14 eggs and I think I will only let her keep the ones that hatch the 1st day. Any after that are moving to grow-out pens. I would prefer to let nature take it's course but I am not seeing a whole lot of motherly behaviour in my Runners so far. How common is this? Feedback from others who have let their Runners raise the kids would be much appreciated.

 

[anniesjk]

Hello!

I am in Central Texas and have been looking for some local ducklings but haven't turned up a single lead. I would like a small group of say maybe 6 -10 ducks, with at most a couple of drakes as I have heard they can get aggressive with each other. I would certainly appreciate some guidance as to finding some. I will happily travel a few hours to pick up.


Thank you!

 

[gardengoats11]

ringaring, Haven't had an issue. My penciled hens (3 of them) ended up with a community nest stealing eggs from each other. They hatched 9 over 9 days and all hens care for all of them as best runners do. My hens would leave the nest if they thought you were looking at them. My gray hen has been the best and due next week.