*~*Runner Duck Club*~*

[Loopeend]

Several of my gals have gone broody, they have nests stuck all over in every nook and cranny now. One odd thing is that they seem to be doing communal nesting. I'll clean out a nest and next morning there's 3 eggs in it. Do ducks tend to share nests?

I hear it often that, allthough runner ducks are good egg-layers, they are bad breeders. Leave their nests, share nests, build nests wherever, pick their own eggs to death, etc.
They are kind of messy when it comes too the whole breeding/egg-laying thing.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes they will share nests. And since Runners do everything as one, communal nesting is probably right at the top. lol

 

[Duck Hill]

question about picking up the girls -

its like picking up a bird with a slinky on one end and a weasel ball on the other.
I've tried scooping/bracing the chest with one had and scooping under the feet with the other like picking up a parrot and they seem okayish with this but its not the most stable since they cant perch and don't lean in to the hand and I've tried grabbing them just in front of the legs with a hand on each side and thumbs over the wing like they are a giant sandwich and they are really not fond of that - after a day of trying that they were all standing on the other side the the been glaring at me

is there a better way to pick them up?

once I have them up its easy - football carry its getting them to the foot ball carry

I use the nice long neck to catch my runners. I aim for the spot at the very bottom of the neck. This is to hold them still, not actually pick them up. Then, with my other hand, I gently scoop them up at about their waist line (tummy side) - keeping hold of the neck just for balance as they are being scooped. I hold my scooping hand wide with fingers spread and straight - a platform rather than a squeezing hand. This prevents problems with egg-containing ducks. I scoop all the way to my chest so I can sandwich them between my chest and my scooping hand. Then the neck-holding hand is free and can switch to a football hold.

Note: The worse very, very rarely happens, but if it does and your duck slips off your scooping hand and you are left holding your duck by the neck - Indian Runners have very sturdy necks and it doesn't seem to hurt them. On the other hand, being dropped CAN seriously hurt a duck. This is why I scoop with a neck hold.

 

[Duck Hill]

Runner ducks and nesting: My friend and I have noticed that our first year runners lay eggs but don't sit for four weeks - they will abandon the nest part way through. This is what gives runners the bad name as mothers. On the other hand, our two and three year old runner ducks do sit well on the nest and will readily hatch eggs. They often nest communally, two or three ducks to one nest, and raise the babies together.

 

[Blue Crow]

Choco taking a victory lap after a very successful sea to air launch.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I love it aren't they a hoot lol

 

[Julie Birb]

Choco taking a victory lap after a very successful sea to air launch.

Very cute. Birds transform from boats to planes.

 

[Widlast]

That's a nice pool. Is that meant for water lilies?

Another topic, walked own to the garden to check on the ducks this morning before going to work and there's two ducklings following Blondie around. I had allowed her to sit her eggs. I post a pic or two once my email stops misbehaving.

 

[Blue Crow]

Its the 300 gallon stock tank from Rubbermaid, technically its still only half done I still need to put a backstop on the raised side to prevent too much ducky airtime and get a step so they can get out with out having to launch - but with the heat wave they are getting to play in it early.


SQUEEE! need pictures, behave email! how are the peafowl doing? I feel down a hole rabbit hole reading about peafowl after your post with the chicks.

 

[Widlast]

The peafowl (and new chicks) are doing fine. They handle the heat very well. The chicks need to be moved down to the greenhouse to give them more room. peachicks are rather active, and are AMAZING jumpers, so they need some head room. Of the two new ducklings, one is a typical blue, with pale patch on chest due to Runner gene. The other is this oddity, never seen one like it in a Runner duck. Mom is a lavender with Runner gene, Dad is most likely Penciled.