Runner duck stopped sitting for a few hours...

[Luv Ducks]

Thank you. She's in a routine where about twice a day she runs off the nest, eats and drinks and bathes in a paddling pool of water (she's a runner they don't really like deep water). Then she seems happy to stay on her nest all day (whilst the other 7 go around in a group outside). Sometimes one of the others sits with her but mainly she seems OK to sit on her own.
This last clutch has got her into the routine so she might manage to hatch a clutch if she keeps this up. But I'm just concerned that when hens and ducks brood they lose weight and nutrients and it exhausts them....

My friend has a farm and a whole flock of Runners fenced in with a house and a pond. They practically live on the pond swimming all day. I guess each case could be different.

 

[Yardmom]

I have runners who have had a history of being very broody. The only time they sat and didn't hatch was when two tried sharing a nest. I think mine moved the eggs to much when trying to share.

 

[PuddleEndChicken]

I'll let you know. I might put a few more of the duck eggs under a bantam as insurance as well

Well just to update you all.........3 days into sitting on the new clutch, she's decided to abandon the nest !! I found the eggs cold this afternoon.

I guess she's realised she's exhausted from sitting for nearly 30 days and wanted a break or maybe she's trying to get a bigger clutch together before she starts to sit again.

But these eggs have been warm for 3 days and now cold so I think they're a non-starter.

I guess runners aren't very good sitters - the only reliable way I've had a clutch is under a Pekin Bantam !! Thanks for all your support anyway !

 

[PuddleEndChicken]

My friend has a farm and a whole flock of Runners fenced in with a house and a pond. They practically live on the pond swimming all day. I guess each case could be different.

Yes we're on a farm and had ours fenced in to a pond too. But a couple drowned - runners can't fly and they had more difficulty getting out of the pond than other ducks. So we transferred them to a yard with all day access to a paddling pool which they seem to enjoy !

 

[Luv Ducks]

Yes we're on a farm and had ours fenced in to a pond too. But a couple drowned - runners can't fly and they had more difficulty getting out of the pond than other ducks. So we transferred them to a yard with all day access to a paddling pool which they seem to enjoy !

That is probably a good idea for them and the guy that has these has a farm where people pay to go and see all of the animals. I was surprised at how well they could get in and out of his pond but I do not know how deep it is either. That's neat that yours have such a great setup for them. He got Runners so that they would not fly away. They are such cute Ducks.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Yes we're on a farm and had ours fenced in to a pond too. But a couple drowned - runners can't fly and they had more difficulty getting out of the pond than other ducks. So we transferred them to a yard with all day access to a paddling pool which they seem to enjoy !

I am sorry that you lost a couple of yours. I have heard some people on here say that their Runners could fly short distances which I was surprised to read. I guess like everything else, they can all be different.

 

[Yardmom]

My runners can't fly, but certainly have no problems with climbing in and out of our pond. They spend at least as much time in the water as my other breeds

 

[Colley12]

Mine don't fly, they do however jump with grace

I'm always amazed at how far laterally they travel when they do that.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Mine don't fly, they do however jump with grace

Fascinating... yours jump with grace and mine fly into things and crash