Indian Runners

[Amiga]

mandyslot, welcome!

Ducks are often quite skittery when they move. I don't know what kind of environment they had before, but I can give you some general ideas that might help. Congratulations!

If their new home is safe from extreme weather and predators, relatively quiet, with nutritious food (that they recognize as food - more on that later) and abundant fresh water, clean comfortable bedding, that always helps.

At first they will be understandably nervous. As prey animals, anything that picks them up and carries them off wants to eat them, in their minds.

So some quiet time where they are not harmed or frightened is what they need first.

I like to make a gentle repetitive sound whenever I am around my ducks to calm them. I sing to them, too.

Keep them close, don't let them roam at first. How much room do they have where they are? Is it safe from all predators?

After a day or two, start some routines that involve you giving them treats and spending some time quietly near them. It may take a long time, but you need to prove to them that you are good news, the gentle, loving bringer of treats and other good things.

 

[stonykill]

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

mine are scared of everything. Still me even. And I've had them since April

 

[jdywntr]

Runners are known to be very skittish. It is a breed characteristic. Unless they are raised as babies and handled often they will probably always be skittish. They should calm down some once they are more comfortable in their surroundings but they will not likely be as calm and friendly as some other breeds.

 

[mandyslot]

thank you everyone, that does help, they dont seem interested in treats or anything at the moment , but i only bought them home on sunday,their run is completly preditor proof,they have a nice warm shed for the night and a totally enclosed outside area,they seem happy when im not around but when i go out to them they go in, its quiet comical but frustrating. they are eating their normal food , but are scared to take treats .

they have a small pool which they have been splashing about in. when they get more used to me being around i intend to let them out in my garden, when i am about to make sure they are ok so they will have a nice life hopefully .

any other inf woukd be much appreciated at this point, also is there a good book i can buy ?

mandy x

 

[whisper237]

They love the water or at least ours do.

 

[stonykill]

They love the water or at least ours do.

so do ours. We have a small turtle pool and 8 runners. All 8 will sometimes be in it at once. That is capacity

. It isn't uncommon to see 4 in there at any given time of day.

 

[Kjordanov]

No special needs, they are just the same as other ducks. My runners are water babies and are in the swimming pools most of the day or digging mud holes, they love to make mud holes, the more the merrier and the dirtier the merrier.

So cute!

 

[Muse7]

I am told I have a very unusual Runner hen, in that she has such a strong Mommy instinct that at 4 weeks she played mommy to 4 other ducklings ranging in age from 4 days to 2 weeks.
She gets very agitated when I take her eggs and she allows me to touch her and still even likes coming up in my lap for a couple minutes at treat time, though she no longer settles
down to sit on my lap as she used to.

I have found that though each breed of duck seems to have inherent character traits, that if you begin handling them after hatching every day, that some of that seems to be negated
just by them being so use to human handling. Now that being said, I also have a drake that would be happy to give you one of those super stinky 7th poops, every times you try
to handle him, just so you put him down as quickly as you can. He will settle, if you get past that first release, but he gives it a good go to keep you from handling him.

So, I guess I'd say, if you got them older, they may never be "Comfortable" with human interaction, they will probably be calmer the longer you spend quiet time and treat time
with them. Best of luck with your new ducky venture, I know I love it every day. Ducks are so Zen. I watch mine for about 15 minutes and most of the things that are stressing
me out from work or whatever just seem to get reordered into perspective.

Best,

Liz

 

[OhikiPL]

Me:

 

[Flappers]

What color do you think my indian runner drake is? I am also curious if you think it is a hybrid, and if so what other breed do you think is mixed in? Here are some pictures of my little guy, Turbo. Thanks!