*~*Runner Duck Club*~*

[NathanZee]

First off, she is beautiful. I don't clip their wings, but runners definitely can fly (I doubt they could migrate - but they can clear most obstacles.) I know my F&W could clear my fence, but she hasn't. @NathanZee has some very competent flying runners. So as far as clipping their wings, it is kind of like the free ranging question. What is everything else like and how much risk are you willing to take with your ducks. For me, Entie is very flock oriented and the ONLY way I could see her flying out over the fence is if a predator got in and was about to catch her and I am not sure I would want to prevent her from flying then, although being outside the fence would present its own hazards. Mostly she stays within a foot or two of the ground and just flies over the rest of the flock to be first in line for treats.

And even though my runners fly well for long distances, they don't fly vertically too well.

 

[AimToMisbehave]

My fawn and white Indian runner.
Does anyone clip their runners wings? I am hoping it's not necessary.

I never clip mine, and so far they haven't made even half an attempt to hop the 4' fences, even in panicked escape mode. They do totally try to squeeze under/through fences, and remember the spots where they're successful, and repeatedly utilize those spots to wander into new foraging grounds (then put up a fuss when they can't get home) Hope that helps. Those are beautiful wings!

 

[AimToMisbehave]

Well no rice paddies I'm afraid (but how cool would that be!?) but we have a mini orchard for them to maintain and two huge gardens They will be busy ducks when they grow up. I love watching the ducks pick through the mulch around the fruit trees.

I've got about 1.5 acres of yard, a flower garden, a vegetable garden, and a 10-tree fruit orchard, and let me tell you, you aren't going to BELIEVE the difference the ducks make! Before we got ours, it was unending slugs and snails all spring through fall, and there were bugs on/in more fruits than not. Now, plants that I've only ever seen in tatters are coming in full and fabulous, and I haven't seen more than maybe three snails in six months! It's absolutely astonishing!

 

[Gone-Quackers]

My first batch of runners hatched and I'm debating on color. Two of them are obviously fawn/white. The other 3 are definintely not. One of them has a pink beak. Not slightly pink either, it's really pink with no orange/yellow at all!
The drakes are fawn/white, hens are: fawn/white, mallard, blue, chocolate, lavender, apricot, etc. I think the hens laying at the time were fawn/white and mallard. So do I have trout ducklings?

Photos are at: https://flic.kr/s/aHskiMu5wf
Sadly my picture files are too large for BYC. .

So. . . ducklings are changing colors! The darker ones pictured are coming in with a dark chocolate color. The two paler ones are coming in completely white except for a bit of color (dark chocolate?) on heads. I will post photos but am amazed. What in the world did I produce?

 

[Miss Lydia]

So. . . ducklings are changing colors! The darker ones pictured are coming in with a dark chocolate color. The two paler ones are coming in completely white except for a bit of color (dark chocolate?) on heads. I will post photos but am amazed. What in the world did I produce?

They sure were adorable lil ones.. I look forward to seeing them now.

 

[Wobbles]

I've got about 1.5 acres of yard, a flower garden, a vegetable garden, and a 10-tree fruit orchard, and let me tell you, you aren't going to BELIEVE the difference the ducks make! Before we got ours, it was unending slugs and snails all spring through fall, and there were bugs on/in more fruits than not. Now, plants that I've only ever seen in tatters are coming in full and fabulous, and I haven't seen more than maybe three snails in six months! It's absolutely astonishing!

Sounds about like our yard We have 9 fruit trees but plan to add more this year, we also have a few kinds of blueberries, 2 types of raspberries, goji berries (holy gross btw)and a red lake currant bush. We do it all organic so as not to harm the ducks or our dogs and uggh the bugs were terrible on the fruit trees last year. One of the cherry trees was full of beautiful fruit and by the time it was ripe there was only one cherry left edible. We had our ducks last year but they were babies so they didn't even go outside to live until late season. Problem is most of our orchard is near the front of the property and not fenced so I worry the little stinkers would wander to the road. Fencing that area will have to be made a priority this year so the ducks can do their jobs.

 

[Duck Hill]

How fast do runner ducks grow?

There is exactly seven days of difference between these two sets of babies. The larger ones are 10 days old and the smaller are three days old.

As you can see: twice as tall in one week!

Also twice as light.... the larger ducklings on the left and right were just as dark as the younglings when they were born. They are sibling. Now they are silvery. Should be blue duskies, perhaps without the "light" gene (hence no chestnut on the front).

 

[Tevyes Dad]

How fast do runner ducks grow?

There is exactly seven days of difference between these two sets of babies. The larger ones are 10 days old and the smaller are three days old.

As you can see: twice as tall in one week!

Also twice as light.... the larger ducklings on the left and right were just as dark as the younglings when they were born. They are sibling. Now they are silvery. Should be blue duskies, perhaps without the "light" gene (hence no chestnut on the front).

Great illustrative picture!!! The Pekin I am currently brooding weighed 1.7oz at 3 days old, at 10 days she weighed 1/2 lb, at 17 days, she was just shy of 1-3/4lbs. Tomorrow will be day 24 and she should top 3 lbs today!!! I have all the weights and pics along the way, but your picture of "what difference a week makes" really hits the nail home!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I wasn't going to share this since trying to hatch shipped eggs doesn't always go well but I have to say today Runner and Buff eggs are being shipped to me My Broody Muscovy's will be hatching them, A wonderful friend and member here is sending them to me. I am very excited to see what will hatch.

 

[Tevyes Dad]

I wasn't going to share this since trying to hatch shipped eggs doesn't always go well but I have to say today Runner and Buff eggs are being shipped to me My Broody Muscovy's will be hatching them, A wonderful friend and member here is sending them to me. I am very excited to see what will hatch.

Hmmm, Runner and Buff (duck?) you say..... I hope you get at least two Runners and a Buff. Welcome to the world of stompy, stompy, stomp.