Are runner duck eggs visibly different than Rouen eggs?

[JimnTer]

I have a breeding pair of Rouens and I would like to continue breeding pure Rouens. My neice is going away to school soon and has 2 ducks she wants me to take. One is a Rouen and the other one is a crested white runner, both are female. Are runner eggs distinctly different from Rouen eggs? I'd like to be able to remove the runner eggs so I don't end up hatching mutts.

 

[mnferalkitty]

Good question, I only know that my blue runners lay green eggs but I don't know about other runners, I am sure someone one else will know

 

[Oregon Blues]

Maybe.

Some Runners lay a slightly tinted egg. If the gift ducks are adults, you should be able to see one of the eggs before she joins the flock.

My Swedish lay a very slightly tinted egg, which is hard to see without careful examination. However, color varies from day to day, and even on the darkest days, the tint is very slight.

 

[JimnTer]

Thanks for the replies. The "gift ducks" are only about 3 months old, so they are not laying yet. It won't become a potential problem for some time yet. I'm just thinking ahead.

 

[nurse_turtle]

I think you're gonna have problems telling them apart. I have hatched hundreds of duck eggs for other folks and aside from the green Runner eggs from the blues, I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference were they not marked.

 

[JimnTer]

Thanks Nurse turtle, it's not what I wanted to hear, but it is what I needed to know. I will take the pair of them for now, but tell my neice that it is only a temporary home for the runner.

 

[ducksinarow]

I think the runner eggs would be smaller. Metzer Farms says they weigh 65-80 grams while the rouen eggs weigh 80-90 grams.

 

[Oregon Blues]

My Swedish eggs are the same size as the Appleyard eggs, even though the Swedish ducks are half the size. Both breeds lay enormous eggs. It seems to me that runners lay huge eggs also,

Eggs can vary in size from day to day. My breeds are housed separately, so I know who laid the egg, but when I box the eggs up, sizes vary enough to be visible without weighing them. Using size for something as critical as raising purebred ducks would be risky.

My ducks lay early in the morning and ducks can be trained to separate themselves into different housing at night. If you simply separate the Runner and don't let her out until after you've collected eggs, that should resolve the issue. Have the 2 pens side by side, with wire, so they can all see each other and everybody will be fine with that arrangement.

 

[JimnTer]

I'm going to have to think about this. Separate housing is a bit of a pain as things stand as I already have my ducks separate from the chickens and my rabbits in another area. I am wanting to separate my bantam chickens from my standards as well for breeding purposes. I think I am done with breeding for this year now anyway, so the duck can come here and I will figure out a permanent solution later. One of my chickens hatched out 5 ducklings 2 weeks ago, my Rouen duck hatched out 15 more this morning. Thats 20 ducklings plus my original pair, plus the 2 from my niece. So 23 Rouens and one crested white runner. I don't think I have any choice but to call her "odd duck". Thanks everybody for your advice.