puzzled - my "indian runner" ducks are grown but...

[aladatrot]

I don't think they are indian runners.

My husband ordered me 5 black runner hens, a straight run of 5 fawn and white runners and two crested fawn and white runner hens. It's now six months later, and I know for a fact that of the black hens two are Cayuga and three are runners.

I'm a little confused on the fawn and white ducks. They are the right color, but they don't stand as upright as the black runners and their heads are a different shape. Their faces are more dished with prominent foreheads as opposed to the wedge shaped black runners' faces. When they are "running", they waddle and aren't nearly as swift as the three black runners. Did I get duped, or do fawn and white runners go through a phase of being "un" runner like?

Cheers
M

 

[rainplace]

If you ordered from a hatchery then they are probably just production ducks. They make great pets though! One of my hatchery runners is very unrunnery and waddles a lot.

Post pics!

 

[aladatrot]

DARN!

I need these guys for a couple of stockdogs. I've been trying to work them but they keep tripping over themselves and it really messes up my dog. I have even seen her try to help one to it's feet by nudging it with her nose. How does one go about getting real indian runners? I haven't managed to locate any breeders near me (houston, TX).

Thanks for the reply.

Cheers
M

 

[Wifezilla]

This is Chrissy (front). She is a hatchery runner. She doesn't look runner AT ALL, but she lays eggs like a runner! I swear she has missed maybe 4 days laying an egg since FEBRUARY.

If you want the really upright, tall runners, you need to go to a private breeder or Holderreads. If you get them from McMurray, Ideal, etc... they will most likely look like Chrissy.

As for stock dogs,Chrissy is a retired herding dog trainer duck

Ducks are pretty uncoordinated when they are teens. I bet they do better as they get a little older.

 

[aladatrot]

Chrissy is exactly like my Ideal Hatchery fawn and white runners. My three black hens look and behave like I think runners should. Why on earth do the hatcheries even market something that isn't what it should be?

Perplexed.....

Cheers
M

 

[1lpoock]

Hatcheries just sell them for production and you get what you pay for...go with holderreads and you definetly wont have this problem..

 

[Neverenuff]

What Breed of dog do you have? I also train on ducks because I have no land for sheep. The first set of ducks I got was Hatchery runners and I hated them for training. I now have east indies and I love them! The runners were too spastic for training. But I also think it depends on the breed of dog and what you are trying to do. Good luck happy herding.


btw I have a Belgian Tervuren.
Jamie

 

[aladatrot]

Hello! I have Aussies. I mostly work my sheep, but I have a 3 year old grump that I can use on the ducks. My trial dog is a young up and comer who is showing awesome promise as a sheep and cattle dog, but I'm just a little afraid she'd be having duck soup if I tried the ducks with her. I keep the ducks in a 30 x 72 turnout pen and work them with my chore dog for something different. Eventually, my trial dog will need to work them, but I'm establishing a little more remote control first!

Do you trial?

Also, where did you get these east indies ducks, and what makes them better for training in your opinion? Always great to have testimony from someone who is working them currently.

Cheers!
M

 

[aladatrot]

Ha! I suppose the naughty word gnome doesn't like my term for female dog. Oh well, better to have to use another term than to have folks using naughty words in a public forum.

Cheers!
M

 

[Wifezilla]

Wench?