Question about runner ducks

[bugladyleah]

Hey all....I am an old hat with chickens, but am new to waterfowl. I am considering getting some Indian runners from a local source....but.....the female duck (who just hatched out babies) doesn't have the "penguin stance" and sits like a "normal" duck. The owner claims she used to walk upright but is now sitting on eggs and therefore has this "normal" duck position....even when not sitting...just when walking around. She says she will go back to walking upright when her babies are raised. Is this true or should I be concerend this isn't a good representation of the runner duck? I don't want SQ or anything like that, they would just be pets, but I would want them to walk upright. Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks! Leah

 

[bugladyleah]

No one with runner duck expertise out there?

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Well, what worries me is that runner ducks are supposed to be horrible mothers, in the sense that they won't stay on a nest long enough to hatch young. Therefore, I wonder if it is not a pure runner duck. Also I would expect a mother duck to be thinner than she would otherwise be (from all that time spent on the nest) and therefore she should have an even more exagerated runner stance than if she weren't nesting. Those are my thoughts.

 

[babyboy1_mom]

I have owned runner ducks for almost a year now and from what I have read about them, then they are not good mothers. In most cases, they will not sit on eggs, but if they do then they will likely kick the ducklings out of the nest with the shells. This is what I have read on them.

As for my runners, I have thought a few times that maybe she was wanting to sit on eggs, but then her or my male just wants me to hold/pet them...lol I have noticed that my male will stand a little straighter up than my female, exspecially whenever I spray them with the water hose...lol She does however stand up straight and not like the normal ducks do. I guess she is normal for a runner duck.

Dorothy

 

[blondiebee181]

So, I have a 3 week old Runner chick, (whom I am hoping will turn out female, no curly tail yet) And she doesn't stand very straight at all, nor does she have a very long neck. Is there a certain age where they start standing more upright?

 

[PtldChick]

My three runner girls are all upright. They sit like normal ducks but walk upright. I know of a woman who had a broody female runner, but I have also heard that that is rare. If you want an upright duck, I suggest going somewhere else.

If you have not had (runner) ducks before...

The females are loud and quack a lot. The males are quiet. You can tell at about 4 weeks who is who by the voice. Black males get a beautiful beetle green sheen btw.
They are messy - they grow faster and poop more than chickens, both as ducklings and adults.
They are not as friendly as chickens - more skittish.
Mine are dominant over the chickens, not in a bad way.
Mine go through all of my water using it to search the ground for bugs - I have to refill a 5 gallon waterer every day.
Mine do not want to go into the coop at night - I've given up and let them stay in the run. They do not sleep all night like chickens.
They hide their nests and will move them periodically, especially if you take all the eggs.
They lay nice big, yummy light green/white eggs.

Have fun with them!

 

[blondiebee181]

They are definitely messy, it is a good thing I only have one. I wouldn't agree with the skittish part, my duck is actually friendlier than the chicks, but this may also be because I only have one. Nor is she really super dominant...not any more than a couple of the chicks are. They definitely go through a lot of water, and I guess I have yet to find out about the rest. Maybe she isn't full Runner though, because at 2 weeks, she doesn't stand super straight...maybe she will more once she is out of the brooder. I got her at a feed store that was advertising Runners, Rouens and Campbells I think.

 

[Christie Clair]

We just hatched 5 black runner ducklings 2 1/2 weeks ago. All of them had the "bottle" figure for the very beginning.

 

[dolly85]

Runner ducklings should have the upright stance from day one. These ducks very rarely go broody and do not generally make good mothers. My guess is that the OP's duck in question is of mixed heritage. Even if she is broody she should still walk upright. You can judge the ducklings stance when they are hatched. Get the one's that stand the most upright and you should get the look you are wanting. If the male has good stance at least 50% of the ducklings should look decent as they should be at least 75% runner.

 

[blondiebee181]

Runner ducklings should have the upright stance from day one. These ducks very rarely go broody and do not generally make good mothers. My guess is that the OP's duck in question is of mixed heritage. Even if she is broody she should still walk upright. You can judge the ducklings stance when they are hatched. Get the one's that stand the most upright and you should get the look you are wanting. If the male has good stance at least 50% of the ducklings should look decent as they should be at least 75% runner.

Yeah, what I had at the beginning turned out to be a Pekin, not only that SHE turned out to be a HE

So....long story short, I re-homed Paul the Pekin to a lady at the hatchery that he originally came from and he is living the good life. Meanwhile, I ordered 2 beautiful Runner females from Metzers and they are now 5 weeks old and I KNOW they are females because they quack like CRAZY! HAhahahah! One black and one F+W, sweet little girls, and you are right, they were upright from day 1.