Idian Runner Duck Laying Cycle

[Roche12]

Hi.

We have a Indian Runner duck and a drake. Can anyone tell what the ducks laying cycle should be?

We are looking to breed them so we can sell the ducklings. The duck has only just layed her first ever lot of eggs. She layed about a dozen though she did not sit on them.

How can i tell when she is just laying them as chikens do and when she is looking to hatch them out?

My concern is that she has modled herself off our chikens as she lays one egg a day as the chikens do, (It is winter here) and she lays in the same place as they do. If she is not going to sit on them will i need to set up a hatching box for the ducklings?

Thanks

Regards
Duckfused

 

[ChickenToes]

Runners should lay all year long, given enough daylight. I don't think they tend to go broody, however. If she does go broody, you'll know. One day she'll just be sitting on the eggs and she won't move.

 

[Calebs Acre]

Runners do NOT tend to go broody, so you should plan on incubating eggs if you hope to hatch ducklings. My runners lay most of the year.

 

[Wifezilla]

The tendency to brood has been mostly bred out of runners. It CAN happen but you usually need an incubator or a willing chicken foster mom.

Mine runner lays all year. She does sometime take off a day here and there, but I can pretty much count on an egg in the morning from Chrissy.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Your Runner is pretty young if I understand you correctly. If she were to go broody it probably wouldn't be till next spring anyway. I noticed my Runner took a strong interest in eggs, like when I would collect them and have them in a bowl on the ground she sometimes would come over and nudge them around. Also as a young hen if she (rarely) didn't lay her egg before I let her out in the morning she would make a great effort to find a good nesting spot under the bushes to lay. A feather or two in would eventually show up in it and she would occasionally sit there during the day. This is a runner that did go broody.

 

[streemers]

Welcome to BYC!! you came to right place with your questions.
oh and i agree with the other post replies