*~*Runner Duck Club*~*

[Widlast]

The most I've ever seen of mine getting air-born was a few inches, but one did get into the strawberry enclosure once, so she had to clear about 2 feet.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are beautiful

 

[TheResidentialFarm]

My little duck has laid 8 perfect eggs in 8 days! I'm starting to hope she takes a day off soon so she doesn't hurt herself. Maybe one of the other 3 could chip in and lay something soon

 

[Tlmcq]

Harmony and Cornelius are parents! A couple weeks ago we hatched this lil one. Was the only lil duckling to make it, but is a spunky lil thing. And doing great now.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Aww How adorable. Congrats!!

 

[Widlast]

Harmony and Cornelius are parents! A couple weeks ago we hatched this lil one. Was the only lil duckling to make it, but is a spunky lil thing. And doing great now.

Congratulations!

 

[Kendrasueh]

Im really worried about my girls and need help!! I have four almost 2 yr old runner ducks. They are completely free range one our 11 are farm and share a 1/2 acre pond with catfish, and bass. I do call them into a small coop at night and lock them in. When they started laying, they all layed beautiful perfect eggs almost daily and we were being overrun with eggs. then 2 of them decided they wanted to be mamas on the same nest in the coop ( notice I didnt mention anything about having a drake). I didnt have the heart to tell them about the birds and bees so I sent away for fertile eggs. They seemed to share the nest fairly well but eventually eggs started disappearing until we were down to 2, which hatched. One hen was aggressively mama and the other one sat back and observed. Mama never showed any signs of agression to the babies but also never tried to mother them either. I dont know why but neither baby made it :-( . Anyway shortly after that their egg production sharted dropping , and every once in a while I would find an egg with a "paper" shell. Now Im down to one egg a day if Im lucky and I might see a paper egg floating in the pond or broken somewhere once in a while. I have also noticed even though they all seem to eat well, and have high energy, three of them have lost weight. They used to be on Purina flock raiser, scratch, wormies and peas until they started worrying me (about a month ago) and I read something somewhere that made me switch them to a diet of wheat, fed under water, water fowl feed and I still give them their wormies and peas. Any Ideas what is happening to them?? Please Help!

 

[Kendrasueh]

 

[Kendrasueh]

PS they also have free choice grit (oyster shell)

 

[Miss Lydia]

Very sorry you ducklings didn't make it, sometimes first time mamas just aren't sure what to do with lil ones. They seem to do better their 2nd time round.

As for your girls not laying could be a few things, time of year, less daylight being one, a few of my Runners have been having thin shells on their eggs to where when I pick them up if not careful they break, Mine are fed layer with broiler mixed in since I have drakes and roosters and ganders in the mix.

Your feed sounds like they are fed a good diet. Do you also put out oyster shell for extra calcium?
Another thing could they need worming? at almost 2 yrs old if they haven't ever been wormed this would be a good time of year to do it.
@casportpony can help you with worming. That maybe another reason for weight loss.

Around 2 yr of age they will drop off on egg production too. So combination of things maybe going on here. I have 4 female Runners at 1.5 yr of age and their first year they laid like there was no tomorrow about 2 months ago they went into molt and since then I may get 2-3 eggs a day now and that has just been lately.