Runner duck egg production?

[nao57]

I wanted to ask about runner duck egg production.

I had seen a comment on Youtube that some lady claimed her runner ducks produced a LOT of eggs, better than other ducks.

I don't know if this is true. And it doesn't really matter if its true, except that if its even remotely good, then it could potentially mean a cheaper duck that doesn't eat as much that produces a lot.

I wanted to see if others also have seen this or can comment about it?

And to harness that egg production, would it have to be a chocolate runner? Or would black runners, or white and fawn runners also be able to get strong or good egg production also?

(I have some black runners but they are too young to lay yet; only about 4 months old. And I'm thinking about this in terms of what to raise for spring.)

 

[Callender Girl]

My only ducks have been runners, so I have nothing to compare with. Last summer, without actually checking my records, I think my mature girls laid about three or four eggs each every week. There's only one who lays a pale green egg, so except for Quinn, I can't tell whose eggs are whose. Quinn definitely lays three to four a week, including one egg-within-an-egg last summer (that was wild!).

I'm told runners eat less than other ducks, which is probably true in the warm months when they are foraging. But, these little buggers are happily stealing all the chickens' feed out of the coops when everyone is outside for the day this winter. And, they NEVER seem to get full!

Here's hoping your runners are good producers this spring!

 

[nao57]

My only ducks have been runners, so I have nothing to compare with. Last summer, without actually checking my records, I think my mature girls laid about three or four eggs each every week. There's only one who lays a pale green egg, so except for Quinn, I can't tell whose eggs are whose. Quinn definitely lays three to four a week, including one egg-within-an-egg last summer (that was wild!).

I'm told runners eat less than other ducks, which is probably true in the warm months when they are foraging. But, these little buggers are happily stealing all the chickens' feed out of the coops when everyone is outside for the day this winter. And, they NEVER seem to get full!

Here's hoping your runners are good producers this spring!

Any idea if the production is different within the different types of runners?

And what did you mean by egg within an egg? (Did you mean a double yolk egg?)

They sure are fun.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Callender Girl]

Oh, I get occasional double-yolkers. But , no, I really mean Quinn laid a tiny egg -- like a fairy egg -- and then laid another full-size egg around it. So, when I cracked open the big egg, there was a perfectly formed miniature egg inside. I've never had it happen before or after.

I don't know a darned thing about other breeds' production. Sorry. Someone out there will know, I'm sure.

And, yes, ducks are endlessly fun -- maybe a little less so in the dead of winter when I'm hauling water, checking to make sure they haven't drained their water dish and adding more pine shavings to their bedding

 

[nao57]

Oh, I get occasional double-yolkers. But , no, I really mean Quinn laid a tiny egg -- like a fairy egg -- and then laid another full-size egg around it. So, when I cracked open the big egg, there was a perfectly formed miniature egg inside. I've never had it happen before or after.

I don't know a darned thing about other breeds' production. Sorry. Someone out there will know, I'm sure.

And, yes, ducks are endlessly fun -- maybe a little less so in the dead of winter when I'm hauling water, checking to make sure they haven't drained their water dish and adding more pine shavings to their bedding

Very nice. Well I was able to learn something from you.

I hadn't heard of an egg within an egg before. :O Wow.

And can I ask what kind of runners you have?

It baffles me how you can put a pool of water outside (small in winter) and it was 10 degrees last night and they'll still want to play in it.

I'm curious if you think the bed pine shavings prolongs winter egg production more than it would without them?

 

[Callender Girl]

I get all of my runners from a woman near Ames, Iowa, who raises what she calls "mutt" runners. They come in all colors and designs, so no two of mine look alike. Colors include solid black, solid silver (blue), solid white and a bunch of splashy mixes, along with two that have Mallard-like coloring, which has a real name that is slipping my mind right now.

I don't think the pine shavings prolongs egg production -- I think, that like chickens, laying has more to do with the length of daylight.

I throw shavings into their shelter to help keep them warm, especially on days when the little nitwits have been bathing in their water dish. I found a small clump of feathers on the ground the other day. Apparently, someone froze himself or herself to the dirt outside after a frosty bath!

I have seen a post or two on BYC about chickens -- not ducks -- laying an egg-within-an-egg, but I was totally unprepared for that. Guess her internal conveyor belt had a little glitch.

 

[nao57]

I get all of my runners from a woman near Ames, Iowa, who raises what she calls "mutt" runners. They come in all colors and designs, so no two of mine look alike. Colors include solid black, solid silver (blue), solid white and a bunch of splashy mixes, along with two that have Mallard-like coloring, which has a real name that is slipping my mind right now.

I don't think the pine shavings prolongs egg production -- I think, that like chickens, laying has more to do with the length of daylight.

I throw shavings into their shelter to help keep them warm, especially on days when the little nitwits have been bathing in their water dish. I found a small clump of feathers on the ground the other day. Apparently, someone froze himself or herself to the dirt outside after a frosty bath!

I have seen a post or two on BYC about chickens -- not ducks -- laying an egg-within-an-egg, but I was totally unprepared for that. Guess her internal conveyor belt had a little glitch.

Thank you very much.

And wow. I'd seen the clump of feathers thing too, but I didn't realize that's what it was from. :O Wow.

 

[Runner duck mom]

Any idea if the production is different within the different types of runners?

And what did you mean by egg within an egg? (Did you mean a double yolk egg?)

They sure are fun.

Thanks for your help.

We have had fawn and white, chocolate and blue runners (all from a hatchery). They all seem to lay the same amount of eggs. The fawn and white lay white eggs and the chocolate and blue lay blue eggs.
They lay pretty much all year long sometimes taking a break for a month or two and then start back up again.
I also have no other breed of duck to compare them to but they seem to be very good at making eggs.

 

[nao57]

We have had fawn and white, chocolate and blue runners (all from a hatchery). They all seem to lay the same amount of eggs. The fawn and white lay white eggs and the chocolate and blue lay blue eggs.
They lay pretty much all year long sometimes taking a break for a month or two and then start back up again.
I also have no other breed of duck to compare them to but they seem to be very good at making eggs.

Thanks.

 

[Texag87]

Our 4 Spring hatched half runners are each laying an egg a day each almost every day. They are very good layers but at least a couple each week are found in the mud or pool outside the coop.