I’ve decided to get Runner ducks any advice for me?

[thumper650]

Runners are awesome! I have 2.
I find their poops much smaller and less offensive than pekin poo.
Can't wait to see your babies!

 

[IsabellaMarilyn]

Thanks for sharing your experience with concrete lol I may just do the deep litter method or sand- maybe I can start out with sand (since it’s more expensive to keep adding) and if that doesn’t work I can go with the deep litter method because straw and hay are much cheaper. Thank you for the other great point you had about selling compost to people who could use it! I’ll give it away gladly for free or maybe I’ll grow a few plants just so I can use it lol but probably not because in reality if it doesn’t have a heartbeat it won’t last around me (I have a black thumb) lol. I’m so nervous about being a good mom to ducklings; I want to do my best to make them as comfortable with me as possible but all the things I’ve heard about their skiddish nature makes me wonder if it’s a coin toss or I need to get eggs. I don’t have a big enough yard to have more than three (3 is even pushing it) plus I’d only want girls because I wouldn’t want a female to be over mated nor would I want a boy that couldn’t have eggs (the the only pro of having ducks my man sees lol) and if I end up with two boys or three boys I’d have to rehome them and by the time I’d be able to tell their sex I’d be attached and I’m also scared if I get ducklings via mail they will arrive dead or if eggs they will be un fertilized or like I mentioned all boys. Whew! I worry & over think everything. I’d love to hear your thoughts/opinion! Thanks again!

I forgot to comment on you talking about smells lol. To each is own I suppose but also outside smell vs inside smell matters! Lol. I baby sat the two ducklings in my picture (they’re khaki Campbell chocolate runner mixes) they are extremely skiddish (weren’t accustom to being held etc) they hated me and I felt bad every time I had to pick them up to clean, move them or let them swim in the tub. It was stressful to stress them out! They pooed soooooo much (I kept them in a bathroom) they stunk it up bad but it wasn’t THAT bad to me but my man thought it was the worst lol.

 

[IsabellaMarilyn]

Runners are awesome! I have 2.
I find their poops much smaller and less offensive than pekin poo.
Can't wait to see your babies!

Great! I will definitely post pictures once they arrive! Could you show pics of your runners? What’s their names?

 

[Texag87]

Duck poop smells less than chicken poop. Our Runner is probably the easiest to catch and once he is caught, he does not resist.

 

[IsabellaMarilyn]

Duck poop smells less than chicken poop. Our Runner is probably the easiest to catch and once he is caught, he does not resist.

Good to know! Chicken poop smells horrible on a hot humid day. That’s good, I’d love for the ducks not to be frightened being picked up.

 

[Farmgal101]

Welcome to BYC!were glad to have you here and answer any questions you may have!I also have a duck his name is lucky I got him from my nbr that had a raccoon kill all 29 ducklings except for lucky he is a grown handsome duck now!!I can say I have made a few mistakes while raising him first being I didn't add anything on flooring so it would always be a big mess!I use hay but it still gets muddy at times if you can find something better use it pine shavings I know are great for chickens not sure on ducks but would probably work.I've never had a problem with smell before.ill take a picture of my set up tomorrow.I also have a small pool for him easier to show then explain..its night time here!

 

[Texag87]

We did TSC duckling roulette. We were blessed to get our runner in the group. Going into it, I never would have picked a runner but he is the most entertaining.

 

[IsabellaMarilyn]

We did TSC duckling roulette. We were blessed to get our runner in the group. Going into it, I never would have picked a runner but he is the most entertaining.

Duckling roulette lol. “You can’t always get what you want but if you try sometime you just might find you get what you need” The Rolling Stones said it (well sang it) best and it’s sooo true.

 

[IsabellaMarilyn]

Welcome to BYC!were glad to have you here and answer any questions you may have!I also have a duck his name is lucky I got him from my nbr that had a raccoon kill all 29 ducklings except for lucky he is a grown handsome duck now!!I can say I have made a few mistakes while raising him first being I didn't add anything on flooring so it would always be a big mess!I use hay but it still gets muddy at times if you can find something better use it pine shavings I know are great for chickens not sure on ducks but would probably work.I've never had a problem with smell before.ill take a picture of my set up tomorrow.I also have a small pool for him easier to show then explain..its night time here!

Thank you! That’s an incredible story; I’m so glad lucky made it but I’m sorry the others didn’t I will make sure my coop & run are both safe for the ducks. Pine shavings have been suggested to me before this forum so I’ll definitely try them out (at the very least in their brooder). I read that vinyl lock and lay flooring in the coop is good and plexiglass on the inside walls could help; what do you think? I think trial and error for each individual depending on the amount of ducks/personalities/schedules etc. seems to be the norm and I don’t doubt I’ll have to find my own way *the hard way*- probably lol and that’s okay. I just want as many tips as I can get so I can fumble a little less than if I haven’t asked for help. I’d love to see pictures of your set up. Thanks again!

 

[Texag87]

This is all about trial and error. We learn as we go. If we are afraid to try something new we do not learn. If we do not learn, we do not experience the joys of duck ownership. With more eggs coming each day the cost of eggs for us has gone down to about 150$ each.