Questions about Indian Runner Ducks

[CK Chickadilly]

I am thinking about adding 3 females & was wondering what they are like. I read that they were about 3.5 - 4 pounds.

I have 2 little 1 week old snowy mallards, 1 boy 1 girl. Will they get along?

Any pictures would be fun to see too!

& Any other info on the breed would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks

 

[Wifezilla]

The quality of runners from different places varies a lot. MAKE SURE YOU CAN SEE THE PARENTS. Otherwise your runner wont look very runnerish.

Now Chrissy was free so I am not complaining, be she is a utility grade runner and not a good example of the breed.

They do tend to be a bit high strung, but I am finding Chrissy to be smarter than my other two knuckleheads (a khaki drake and a buff)

 

[DuckyBoys]

Here is one of the runners I hatched out last year. They came from Golden Egg Farm. I got some real nice runners form Holderread's too, but they were all eaten by a fox. I'm pretty proud of this guy though - he's going to the fair this year.

They are excellent layers - but they are super flightly - drives me up a wall.

 

[Wifezilla]

Now THAT is what a runner should look like.

 

[CK Chickadilly]

Very nice pics, thank you, they are cute! That khaki coloring is very pretty!

What do you mean by flighty?

Now I would be ordering them from the local feed mill & she gets them from Townline Hatchery in Zeeland (MI of course

)

I just want them for pets & entertainment. Are they silly too? like the snowy mallards?
Thanks!

 

[Wifezilla]

Flighty = scared of their own shadows

 

[CK Chickadilly]

Too funny!

(edited to ad) Are they friendly towards people or are they scared of them too?

 

[Wifezilla]

If you get them as adults, it takes a long time for them to warm up to you. If you raise them from chicks, they can be very friendly.

 

[CK Chickadilly]

I think they will be about 1 week old when I get them. I hope they will be friendly like the chickens are.

I do notice that my little snowy mallard boy is a little more skiddish than the girl. Is that normal for a male to be more stand offish?

 

[moduckman]

Duckyboys runner is more typical of what they should look like. There should not be a forehead per say. The top of the head will go into the bill. They walk straight up and down, with their tail down. The back should be about the width of four adult fingers put together. By the way... they are no longer called "Indian" runners, not politically correct. Just runners.