Indian Runners

[Miss Lydia]

he is looking proud sporting that look! Nice floors. Look like ours

Thanks he is very dapper. lol I love our floors they are so easy to keep clean especially when you have 4 dogs who tromp around on them, and look no duck poo or chicken poo on dh shoes.

which is a miracle in it's self.

 

[Herducks]

My new ducklings!! I love that little black runner, he is me favorite!!

 

[stonykill]

My new ducklings!! I love that little black runner, he is me favorite!!

adorable

 

[Miss Lydia]

adorable

Oh my goodness how precious

 

[Muse7]

Question about your Runner hens. Have you ever noticed a drop in weight during laying season? My Blue, Crackers, has been wormed, eats well and drinks well.
It seemed to me that she was a little down in weight today. She is unusual, that she has always like to be in my lap for some petting and meal worm snacks. She
doesn't sit as long as she use to when she was a duckling, but it comes in handy for feet and body checks on her. She started laying in early Oct. and has laid, roughly,
an egg a day. She get fresh sprouts and greens daily, as well as a good layers pellet.

It's not grossly notice able and may just be me worrying. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Best,

Liz

 

[Amiga]

I have had ducks lose some body condition after laying a while. Does she get food 24/7? My runners really need that.

 

[Muse7]

She's on the same wave as the others 12 on and 12 off with water available. My set up is small and it is very difficult to keep food in the
night lock up quarters without it turning into a health risk issue. During the 12 hours they have food, she does eat, not constantly but heartily when the flock eats. You know how
they are one starts and then the rest follow suite, one of the endearing qualities of ducks is their love of each other's company. I plan to try to redesign their duck house some over the summer
to see if I can add an remove able box to one of the large side doors. This would hopefully afford a more confined feeding area for winter nights. Spring, Summer, and Fall were no problem
as they have plenty of grazing area and she is very pushy about getting the best grub when it comes out.

Any suggestions for safe high calorie food I might give her as a treat. The other ducks will not like her getting special treatment, but it gets cold here in the next couple months and I don't
want her loosing her fat layers.

Thanks,

Liz

 

[Amiga]

I give my ducks thawed frozen-fresh peas. Cooked potatoes are another food that ducks do well with as a supplemental feed, at least according to Carol Deppe (who wrote The Resilient Gardener, and has a flock of Anconas). I have fed cooked potatoes to my ducks. They seem to like it, though one of them liked to fling it, the way they used to fling poo in the brooder. Perhaps it was an editorial comment.

 

[Muse7]

They really are quite talented with projectile poop, when they are little. It astounded me how, 5 ducklings that only stood about 7 - 9 inches tall could manage to
pretty much cover the walls of a brooder tub that were 2 ft tall.

Thanks so much for the thoughts, I'll probably try some peas. I tried to plant winter peas, but I missed the order date and everyone was sold out.
Next year I'll get an earlier start.

Best,

Liz

 

[mandyslot]

hi i have just bought two indian runners, they are very nervouse , do you think it will improve once they have settles in . i do hope so. they are beautiful, but dont like humans at the moment .

please advise

thanks

mandy x