*~*Runner Duck Club*~*

[Smurfbrew]

I found a clutch of eggs under my tomato plants. I have 7 runner girls and 1 drake who is a Cayuga. They have been laying for a couple of weeks now and every egg I crack is fertile. I know runners aren't very good sitters. Do I leave the clutch and see what happens? Or take the eggs? I'm in Texas and its 100-106 degrees outside. Will this effect the eggs as far as them not sitting on them?

The heat shouldn't affect them at all, but the question is, do you want more ducks? If so, I would move them like Cyndi said to a safe place where you want them to be, like the nesting box. Since your girls are young they might not get it right away, so you may have to incubate them yourself. If you don't want more ducks, I would just collect them everyday and eat them.

 

[chey5545]

hi i'm not a member yet i just got 4 gray runners they don't have names yet anything i should know about raising them.

 

[Tevyes Dad]

hi i'm not a member yet i just got 4 gray runners they don't have names yet anything i should know about raising them.

Start here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/256233/ducks-sticky-topics-index

and select "Raising and Caring for Ducklings". And check over some of the other links. After you have read through that, you will probably have more specific questions and there are lots of experienced people on this forum to answer them.

Good luck and

 

[GGBEAR]

hi all ive never kept ducks before but purchased 2 white Indian runner ducks at ( pol ) just over a week ago theres a couple of questions I need answering so I will put them down 1 at a time and hopefully you lovely lot can help
1) upon getting these 2 birds home 1 was stood shaking in the box I put this down to nerves but over a week on she often stands and starts to quiver in her legs and tremors through her whole body then her neck goes down almost as though she is balancing with her bill and sometimes she opens her wings also as if to balance??
She kinda walks sku wif and her tail is different to the other one its almost tucked under and slightly to the side
Can anyone share any ideas????
2) the other one just looks like on her neck feathers are still coming as it looks fluffy and you can see a little skin ? Is this normal???
3) I bought them home Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning 1 of them had laid a egg about the size of a small chicken egg but since then nothing??? Normal?
4) how often do they lay is it all year round or different


Thanks I wait ur great responses xx

 

[Amiga]

@GGBEAR Hi!

She could have a nervous system problem, or there is a tiny possibility she is presenting herself for mating. When does this happen? When you or the other duck are close by or not? I would get them both on some B vitamin supplements. Use the B3 (niacin) in the supplement to gauge how much water to add. Aim for 150 mg niacin per gallon of drinking water. It should be fine for both to take.

As an alternative, put a tablespoon of brewer's yeast (not baking yeast) per cup of food for a couple of weeks, see if she improves.

How old are they? The B vitamins do the most good for younger ducklings, but if she's deficient, you may be able to help with that.

What is sku wif? Does it mean oddly?

Seems to me both have had too much attention from drakes. There may be spinal injury, internal injury, pulled muscles, as well as the pulled neck feathers. So, I would be aiming for spa treatment for these girls for a few weeks. You may have rescued them from a very rough time.

Spa treatment: The B vitamins as above, and daily time in lukewarm water deep enough to float in. Just let them relax a bit, take weight off their legs, stretch and move. Toss a few treats in the water with them. Keep them safe, always. Everything wants duck dinner. Keep them where they don't get too hot or cold. Feed them a well balanced ration, plus some fresh vegetables especially greens (not much spinach). Chat them up - tell them stories, just let them know you are giving them some gentle attention. Sing, if you want to, mine like being serenaded.

If you can, you might consider a vet - but for many of us this is not possible.

Keep us updated, and check out the archives on BYC. Good nutrition, rest, low stress, swim time, can make a world of difference.

 

[GGBEAR]

She does it when I'm there or if she is with other duck the farmer didn't actually say what age they was just they were at point of lay.
In the pen they were in it was just female ducks she seems happy enough and swims about fine eats fine ive had a look at German and can see no obvious signs of damage
Sku wif means she walks a but wobbly just not as confident as other one.
Can you answer any of my other questions

 

[pammy g]

I wish I could figur out how to post pics from this phone! I want to share mine!!

 

[Amiga]

Ahem.

1) upon getting these 2 birds home 1 was stood shaking in the box I put this down to nerves but over a week on she often stands and starts to quiver in her legs and tremors through her whole body then her neck goes down almost as though she is balancing with her bill and sometimes she opens her wings also as if to balance??

A: Could be a nervous system concern, or could be mating behavior. Difficult to know without video.


She kinda walks sku wif and her tail is different to the other one its almost tucked under and slightly to the side
Can anyone share any ideas????

A: Guessing she was overmated

2) the other one just looks like on her neck feathers are still coming as it looks fluffy and you can see a little skin ? Is this normal???

A: Sign of being overmated

3) I bought them home Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning 1 of them had laid a egg about the size of a small chicken egg but since then nothing??? Normal?

A: Normal. Ducks often pause their laying when they experience big changes or stress.

4) how often do they lay is it all year round or different

A: Depends on the age, breed and the health condition of the duck.

 

[GGBEAR]

OK thanks that answers a lot only thing I'm confused on is their supposed to be young ducks at pol and they look young so I didn't think they would have been mated????

 

[Amiga]

OK thanks that answers a lot only thing I'm confused on is their supposed to be young ducks at pol and they look young so I didn't think they would have been mated????

Hmmm, my thinking is that a drake will jump on anything that moves, so them being little would not stop that.