*~*Runner Duck Club*~*

[AimToMisbehave]

Sorry crazychook I'm still very new to keeping ducks and I only know about those I have which are Indian runner ducks I'm sure someone on here can help, I'm confused though why can you not breed crest with crest? Surely in the wild they do? Or am I being dumb???? Please don't shout

Hey @aimtomisbehave hows your duckings coming along???

Wonderfully, thanks! They're getting splashy time this week, and so far it's a hit (even though Ezri can't seem to get the waterproofing figured out). Zoe turned out to be the strongest swimmer, which is AWESOME considering how unsteady she was on her legs when we first got her. I keep a playlist of daily videos here if anyone wants to see their progress

As for crested ducks, I think people try to avoid crest + crest breeding because of the risk of the crest area getting too big and putting the offspring at significant health risk (my understanding is that the crest is caused by a lack of skull in that spot?).

 

[GGBEAR]

Wow lets hope they don't breed in the wild then !
Wish my stupid runners would go in the pond only 1 goes in the others dance around the edge splashing water over themselves, I ended up taking matters in to my own hands Sunday as my male duck was totally crusty I put him in a bucket of warm water and washed him lol cant understand why they wont go in they have ramp and steps???

 

[Miss Lydia]

Wow lets hope they don't breed in the wild then !
Wish my stupid runners would go in the pond only 1 goes in the others dance around the edge splashing water over themselves, I ended up taking matters in to my own hands Sunday as my male duck was totally crusty I put him in a bucket of warm water and washed him lol cant understand why they wont go in they have ramp and steps???

If you see a crested duck in the wild it isn't one that is truly wild I know of no wild ducks with crests. It could have been a domestic crested that was dumped and a Mallard bred with it and crested came from that paring. From what I understand crested to crested is lethal gene, ducklings can be dead in the shell or deformed.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/837366/crested-ducks-the-whole-picture

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/707110/the-truth-behind-crested-ducks

 

[Miss Lydia]

Wow lets hope they don't breed in the wild then !
Wish my stupid runners would go in the pond only 1 goes in the others dance around the edge splashing water over themselves, I ended up taking matters in to my own hands Sunday as my male duck was totally crusty I put him in a bucket of warm water and washed him lol cant understand why they wont go in they have ramp and steps???

Ducks are wary of anything new and ramps are scary how wide is it? and steep they don't like steep either. Is this a real pond in the ground or a kiddy pool?

 

[AimToMisbehave]

Wow lets hope they don't breed in the wild then !
Wish my stupid runners would go in the pond only 1 goes in the others dance around the edge splashing water over themselves, I ended up taking matters in to my own hands Sunday as my male duck was totally crusty I put him in a bucket of warm water and washed him lol cant understand why they wont go in they have ramp and steps???

Maybe they just need a little motivation? Mine will go anywhere if there's koi pellets! I use cinder blocks to make steps in and out of the pond; they're about 6 inches tall, which is well within their hopping capabilities, and they don't get slippery when wet.

 

[CrazyChookLady5]

Sorry crazychook I'm still very new to keeping ducks and I only know about those I have which are Indian runner ducks I'm sure someone on here can help, I'm confused though why can you not breed crest with crest? Surely in the wild they do? Or am I being dumb???? Please don't shout

Hey @aimtomisbehave hows your duckings coming along???

that's all right well I've read that if you breed crest to crest that's when the problems happen, its something to do with their brain/skull but I don't really understand it either

 

[Tevyes Dad]

The simple part:
Living crested usually have 1 crested gene.

If two crested are bred together the ducklings will be:

25% - no crested gene.
50% - 1 crested gene - crests of various sizes.
25% - 2 crested genes (one from each parent) - dead in shell or shortly after birth from head splitting open.

If a crested is bred together with a non-crested the ducklings will be:

50% - no crested gene.
50% - 1 crested gene - crests of various sizes.

So obviously if you want crested, you should breed a crested with a non-crested. BUT.......

The ducks with a crested gene will be affected varying amounts. Most of them should be fine, but the largest crests could still have problems and some could die just like those with 2 crested genes. Some will have crests so small that they will be unnoticeable or even completely absent. This means that all "non-crested" from such breeding should be considered suspect and never be bred with cresteds nor should any further generations from them be bred with cresteds. This leaves you in somewhat of a moral pickle since your non-cresteds should be the end of the line in order to make sure a non-showing crested isn't inadvertently bred with another crested leading to the first scenario above.

I own a crested and I love him very much but I would never let him breed because I couldn't keep a whole clutch of offspring myself, and I couldn't give away or sell a non-crested that might be harboring the gene knowing it could bring great sorrow on someone down the line.

 

[CrazyChookLady5]

The simple part:
Living crested usually have 1 crested gene.

If two crested are bred together the ducklings will be:

25% - no crested gene.
50% - 1 crested gene - crests of various sizes.
25% - 2 crested genes (one from each parent) - dead in shell or shortly after birth from head splitting open.

If a crested is bred together with a non-crested the ducklings will be:

50% - no crested gene.
50% - 1 crested gene - crests of various sizes.

So obviously if you want crested, you should breed a crested with a non-crested. BUT.......

The ducks with a crested gene will be affected varying amounts. Most of them should be fine, but the largest crests could still have problems and some could die just like those with 2 crested genes. Some will have crests so small that they will be unnoticeable or even completely absent. This means that all "non-crested" from such breeding should be considered suspect and never be bred with cresteds nor should any further generations from them be bred with cresteds. This leaves you in somewhat of a moral pickle since your non-cresteds should be the end of the line in order to make sure a non-showing crested isn't inadvertently bred with another crested leading to the first scenario above.

I own a crested and I love him very much but I would never let him breed because I couldn't keep a whole clutch of offspring myself, and I couldn't give away or sell a non-crested that might be harboring the gene knowing it could bring great sorrow on someone down the line.

Cool thanks for explaining it to me So its probably best if I don't get crest ducks because I'm going to be breeding little bit and I defiantly don't want any problems

 

[AimToMisbehave]

Goodness. Zoe is such a great little swimmer, and Impa is doing well, but poor Ezri just can't get this floating business figured out!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Goodness. Zoe is such a great little swimmer, and Impa is doing well, but poor Ezri just can't get this floating business figured out!

Bless!