I chose runners for my re-entry into duckdom after a 40 year hiatus. I have eleven. I find the runners can get a little excited about new things, but they calm down quickly. I take time with them, spending at least 15 or 20 minutes with them when I change their bedding, about three times a day (sometimes 4 or 5). It is my investment in their personalities, because making sure they are comfortable around me has enabled me to handle them with just a little squawking and kicking, but really very minor. And as I wrote, they calm right down.
There is a bit to know to make it go well, but you should be able to find out all about it on this duck forum. Do searches on brooders and ducklings and feed, for example. Or, just post a topic about an aspect of raising the ducks, like brooders, temperature, water, and so forth.
I think runners are beautiful! Mine are chocolate and black. Benedicts offers fawn and white, another lovely coloration. The runners have great personalities, love salad and peas (there are exceptions to pea lovers in the duck world), cuddle up to me when I sit with them, and are excellent foragers and layers. Their waste is wonderful food for my gardens. They eat slugs and dandelions and chickweed. They should grow to weigh about 3.5 pounds, and stand somewhere around 2 feet tall.
They need water, water, water, good food, proper temperatures, clean bedding, water, water, and more water. Oh, and a little patience about brooder cleanup. It's just one of those chores that is never done once and for all. Before I am done cleaning, they are right behind me messing. And they are so sweet and friendly and cheerful! They have invented games to play in the brooder. They like being sung to. Or, at least they get really quiet when I sing to them. Hmmmmmm. . .
