Duck Breed Focus - Indian Runner

[Jarrod32]

Runners seem so cute. At first I thought the upright stance was a little weird or creepy but it's pretty cute. Although I've heard they're more skittish? When I get ducks I'm thinking it will probably be Swedish and Welsh Harlequin but maybe one day I'll get Runners. That won't be for a while because we're getting our first chickens the end of this month and I heard ducks are louder, more messy, and more smelly? One day though.

They do tend to be a bit more skittish. And they are messier. We originally had them in with our chickens, but I ended up separating them. The ducks would jump into the waterer and splash around, making a mess. Not good for the chickens.

We tried letting the ducks run free range for a while, but lost several. Whether they ran away or critters got them, or something else, don't know. But they are now penned up again, separated from the chickens.

The runners are good layers, but tend not to lay in nesting boxes. They just drop the egg wherever they are at at the time.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Never a good idea to get just one duckling 2 or more is best then they have one of their own kind to grow up with.  Alot of members have different breeds together it just is up to you how you do it.  And if you want eggs only then all females if you want ducklings then you'll need at least 1 drake.

Oh yeah, I'd definitely get more than one but I just thought I read somewhere that they like their own breed but maybe it's just a rumor or preference. I'd mostly just get them because they're cute, as pets and foraging. But it would be cute to eventually hatch ducklings. I've never had duck eggs before so I'm nervous about trying them lol although, I think I saw on here it's a different protein and some people are allergic? But I do want them. also, are drakes loud like roosters?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh yeah, I'd definitely get more than one but I just thought I read somewhere that they like their own breed but it's just a rumor or preference. I'd mostly just get them because they're cute, as pets and foraging. But it would be cute to eventually hatch ducklings. I've never had duck eggs before so I'm nervous about trying them lol although, I think I saw on here it's a different protein and some people are allergic? But I do want them.

also, are drakes loud like roosters?

Actually drakes are not loud at all the ducks can be though.. I use duck eggs in baking mostly and they make everything very moist I just made brownies with them and they are so moist and delicious..

Ducks make good pest control to especially with so many of us not wanting to use poisons they come in handy to eliminate pesky bugs they love tomato horn worms too. Eggs, pest control and pets all in one animals can't go wrong there.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Actually drakes are not loud at all the ducks can be though.. I use duck eggs in baking mostly and they make everything very moist I just made brownies with them and they are so moist and delicious..

Ducks make good pest control to especially with so many of us not wanting to use poisons they come in handy to eliminate pesky bugs they love tomato horn worms too. Eggs, pest control and pets all in one animals can't go wrong there. 

Really? Wow, that's really interesting. So are they like annoying loud or? But wow, that sounds good. Does it taste any different than chicken ones besides the moist part?

That does sound like an advantage! Do you think they're better at it than chickens?

 

[Birdrain92]

Really? Wow, that's really interesting. So are they like annoying loud or? But wow, that sounds good. Does it taste any different than chicken ones besides the moist part?

That does sound like an advantage! Do you think they're better at it than chickens?

Duck eggs are creamy and make things soft unless you bake longer. The hen's loud quack is used as a call to call ducklings or other ducks. Drakes have more of a croak. I can try to get an audio of it with my Indian Runner ducks but no guarantee. We use duck eggs in everything now instead of chicken since I only have one hen laying and next month I'll have 24 Black Australorp pullets laying. In November I'll be back in the chicken egg business. When you crack open duck eggs sometimes the albumen (white) will stick to the shell since it's really thick. Out of the eggs that I've tried if you wish to rate them based on creamy it would be chicken as the base, peafowl is creamier, and than duck.

 

[Alexandra33]

@Amiga , may I ask what color variety the runners in the first and next to the last picture are? They're stunningly beautiful!

I made the decision to add a Blue Runner to my order of Cayugas simply because their comical upright stature appeals to me! Indigo, a.k.a. Indi, has been a fun, interesting duck to have around, and I look forward to seeing her first eggs.

Indi playing like a puppy in the puddles.

With her "sisters" Ebony and Jade

-Alex

 

[Amiga]

Aww, so beautiful, y'all!!!

My Runners are chocolate (five of them) and black (four of them). They started getting snow when they were about a year old, and now every month or so their patterns change a bit.

The first photo is Elf and Sechs sharing a nest - they are chocolates. The next to last is Sieben, who now has a mostly white hood, with just a few flecks of black.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Duck eggs are creamy and make things soft unless you bake longer. The hen's loud quack is used as a call to call ducklings or other ducks. Drakes have more of a croak. I can try to get an audio of it with my Indian Runner ducks but no guarantee. We use duck eggs in everything now instead of chicken since I only have one hen laying and next month I'll have 24 Black Australorp pullets laying. In November I'll be back in the chicken egg business. When you crack open duck eggs sometimes the albumen (white) will stick to the shell since it's really thick. Out of the eggs that I've tried if you wish to rate them based on creamy it would be chicken as the base, peafowl is creamier, and than duck.

Thanks for all the info. do you think they taste good? Do most people just use them for baking?

And that would be great if you can but if not don't worry. now that you mention it I realize I think I heard someone say that the girls are the one that do the stereotypical duck queaking thing right? Do they do it very often?

And so what do you do then, scrape it out of the shell?

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh what lovely ducks! Thanks for sharing everyone! I have never kept ducks but they sure look fun to keep.

 

[Birdrain92]

Thanks for all the info.

do you think they taste good? Do most people just use them for baking?

And that would be great if you can but if not don't worry.

now that you mention it I realize I think I heard someone say that the girls are the one that do the stereotypical duck queaking thing right? Do they do it very often?

And so what do you do then, scrape it out of the shell?

It tastes pretty good. You can use it in other things, pancakes we use it in as well as French toast batter. Then we do just regular egg things like scrambled eggs, hard boiled eggs, etc. Not really. Just when trying to let everyone know where she is and to call her ducklings. When you crack chicken eggs how everything just comes falling out quick, with duck eggs it falls out but part of the albumen stick to it and just give it a couple shakes or use your finger to get it to detach.