A Runner setting eggs?

[snewman]

I had a friend take care of my runner ducks over Memorial weekend, but I didn't have her collect the eggs because the nests are kind of hard to get to and I didn't want to abuse the favor. I figured I'd just throw away the weekend's eggs when I got back. However, I found two of the runner duck hens sharing nest-sitting duties, and they have continued to do so thus far. Since runners are not known to be good setters, is it likely that they will lose interest before any potential hatch date, or, since they've done it this long, might they continue? I've left those eggs with them so far, just to see. The one hen hisses at me and seems quite motivated to stay on the nest. She even chases the rooster (chickens and ducks share space).

 

[streemers]

i read another post a few mths ago where a runner went broody. i would let her be that would be cool

 

[L0rraine]

I've been posting about my Runner and her ducklings recently, but I think she's a half-breed. She spent much more time on the nest than my Magpie duck and was really protective. The new twist on the story is, this morning my Magpie wanted nothing to do with her brood once they were hatched. My Runner-mix adopted them eagerly so she now has thirteen, ranging in age from 1-5 days. She really dotes on all of them, gentle nudges towards food and water and away from danger - and when one of the little ones was slow to get out of the pool, she even gave him a lift with her beak. It's been pretty cute and I'm really proud of her.

p.s. she got her start the same way - I was slow to collect the eggs. With her first batch, she didn't make it to the end. She ended up with several broken eggs because I didn't separate her from the other ducks and three days before they were due to hatch a raccoon or possum stole away with most of the remaining eggs and she gave up. This time around I gave her her own space.

 

[Sweetfolly]

Well, it can't hurt to let her try.

My Pekin is so funny - she'll make a nest, roll the Campbell eggs into it, and then sit on it all day and hiss at me. In the evening, when I feed them, she'll abandon her nest and come eat with everyone else.

She's a bit useless, but she's hilarious.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Here's my Chocolate Runner duck's story, sorry I removed a couple of photos. She actually hatched out 11 and is a very protective and attentive mother!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2308139#p2308139
Leaving the eggs will encourage a hen to go broody, sounds like that's what you got there. If you don't want the other one to go broody you should remove her now!

 

[19hhbelgian]

I had a runner sit, and I didn't even know it, until the ducklings were hatched! She made her nest under my horse trailer, so she was out of any weather and was quite safe (until we moved the trailer and realized she had the nest!) Luckily nobody got hurt

Here's a few pics...

 

[Attack Chicken]

Those are just to cute!!!

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Wow! She looks like a crested white runner!

 

[19hhbelgian]

She was a crested fawn and white runner... She was such a cute little girl!! When we moved I couldn't bring my ducks and geese along 'cause we have no water on our new property

Oh how I miss those quackers!

 

[Calebs Acre]

I have a friend (the person who I should SHOOT for starting my runner addiction) and she had two broody runners last year. They hatched over 30 eggs between them. I didn't realize that runners WEREN'T considered broody until I started doing my research.

By the end of the year, I hope to be breeding crested runners. Just have to wait for them to get old enough. I have all kinds of different colors, but here is the young female I just bought...she's white with a smaller sized crest and she is adorable. I have blues, blue and whites, fawn and white, blacks.....and then other babies I hatched too young to tell the final color now with another batch in the bator. I'm so excited to see how many cresteds I get!!

Here is Patsy: