Considering runner ducklings need advice.

[duckins]

Here I go again wanting more babies! I have been wanting 4 runner hens to complete my flock thought now is a good time being inside more in the winter and by the time their ready to go outside it would be late march/April and warmer. I have 3 pekin drakes 2 buffs 2 black Swedish and 4 crested all hens. Would runners work well with them (drakes are housed separate and always supervised when with hens. Color does it matter or is it a personal preference. How is their disposition and egg laying, any advice on this breed would be great. Next big question was going to order from metzer farm I believe they California based I'm in va is that to far to ship them safely. I ve ordered as far as Texas before no prob but ca and va are a ways apart.

 

[blondiebee181]

Howdy! I wondered if it would be me or Amiga that would reply first to this, lolol....She's a Runner lover too. Runners are great! I have two females, one Fawn and White and one Black that I ordered from Metzers and I LOVE them. As far as Metzers goes, they are a great hatchery and their website is full of great info. They are also easy to get a hold of on the phone and super nice. They will ship you as little as 2 and mine arrived happy and healthy. I would recommend calling them about your distance, because that is quite a bit further. I live in Boise so it wasn't as long of a trip, but as you may already know, ducks are pretty hardy.

I think this is as good a time as any to get them, I elieve Metzers hatches year around so you will be okay going through them. Runners can be skittish, but I have not found this to be true with mine. They went through a flighty "teenager" stage when they were about 3 mos. but it passed, and as with all animals, the more time you spend with them as chicks the more they will bond with you and learn not to be afraid of humans. They should get along fine with your other ducks, but Runners are quite slim and slender so you will have to be watchful of your Pekin drakes once they come of age especially if they are more aggressive. Otherwise they are quite hilarious to watch, literally zooming around the yard like bowling pins with feet. Now, the kinds I got are hatchery type Runners, not show quality which means there will be a little variation in how upright they stand. But mostly they are still almost vertical to the ground.

Mine have not layed yet, so I can't speak personally of this but I hear they are quite prolific layers. The color is purely personal. Metzers sells them in Blue, Black, F+W,and Chocolate but they also come White, Magpie, Penciled, and Grey. They really are a treat, you will love them

 

[duckins]

Bowling pins thats too funny! Thank you was looking at metzers site they can ship on Monday going to call 2 morrow about distance there is a minimum price I could add 1 more duckling but pondering 5 vs 4 ducklings. My main reason is that I like this breed and my other breeds for pleasure also eggs and I need to improve my drake duck ratio even though all interactions with drakes once older would be well supervised they can be rough. Metzer offers gro gel is this beneficial?

 

[galgo98]

They really are a treat, you will love them

X2!!

Too bad you are still a little far from me (although I get down to Hagerstown, Md occasionally). I could hatch some for you (I love having an excuse to hatch more!)! I have different colors and I don't see a difference in egg laying. They all have their own personalities, but I don't think its color related. I brooded mine in the living room, so mine are not skittish either. Good luck!!

 

[blondiebee181]

Oh and you have fallen predator to duck math

 

[duckins]

Yes ducks are so addictive

 

[Amiga]

blondiebee181 beat me to it!

Oh, my heart just melted when I held that boxful of runner babies. sigh.

Great layers, great personalities, great foragers and slug eliminators (I estimate 90% reduction in slug population since they arrived).

Eggs are tasty and beautiful, jumbo chicken size. Healthy animals, few injuries (several (maybe 5) cases of bumblefoot for eleven runners for three years, and a couple of mild sprains, some soft eggs, a splinter). Lost one to egg yolk peritonitis, one died at 7 months and I did not have a necropsy done.

Watch those drakes!!!! Someone I know had Pekin drakes and runners and the runner girls were brutalized.

You already know many critters want duck dinner.

My runners had the adolescent "people are scary . . . . everything is scary" phase, but grew out of it. Time, time, treats, sweetness, and time make for wonderful runners, in my experience.

I keep them above 40F at night, mine just seemed not to thrive below that.

 

[blondiebee181]

LOL Amiga! Wow your ducks are spoiled though....mine have been out in the cold and it's even been dipping below zero here in Boise this past week....tonight it is currently 33F (finally) and I'm sure they are thinking it's time for shorts and ducky pina coladas...lol no that's what I'm thinking though! They have been in their nice straw filled duck house though and it is also insulated....although I think I told you Ivy figured out how to jump up into the hen house....silly girl.

 

[duckins]

How many runners did you brood at one time

 

[TLWR]

I have 4 runners and a welch harlequin.
Batch 1 was so much friendlier than the mixed batch (one hatch and 2 purchased).
Round 1 I was able to spend LOTS of time with them as I wasn't working yet, batch 2 was because we hatched some at school and I was going to keep one and order some girls to be sure all was good in case I had a boy (which I wanted... she's a girl though lol)

I was brooding 4 from our hatch until they were brought to their new homes. Round 1 brooded entirely outside. Round 2 was about a week inside. I much preferred outside brooding in the summer!