Runner Ducks...need some info and pics

[Wokawidget]

Hi,

I have a 6 month old white female Campbell duck...silliest friendliest duck ever...but she needs a friend as my equally friendly Cuckoo Marrans and Bantam Cochin just don't join in with duck activities.
When I first saw runner ducks on a farm a while back I couldn't stop laughing and my mind was made up. I want one...female of course.

I would like a penciled runner...is that a recognised color/breed?
Do the penciled runner drakes have black eye patches and females brown?

Does anyone have pics of their runners? While I think I want a penciled one, I am still not 100% sure.

Any other runner info I may need to know?

Cheers,

Woka

 

[Amiga]

Yes, penciled runners are one of the color patterns of Indian runners. I have been reading about runners for close to a year, have ordered my first little flock, and so what I have to offer is some resources I have found most helpful. I raised a few Pekins and mallards in my teens (long ago).

The Indian Runner Duck Association, based in the U.K. is online at http://www.runnerduck.net/ and they have photo's of the different colors (fawn, fawn and white, chocolate, blue, trout, etc.).

I am reading Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks, which has good general duck husbandry information as well as sections on runners.

Those have been my best sources so far.

Yes, they are delightful! I decided to get ducks as part of my garden project. The more I researched, the more I kept coming up with the recommendation for runners. They eat slugs and other pests, and produce fertilizer. Eggs are a bonus! Runners are small, relatively quiet (I am sure someone can argue about that, but they are not the noisiest ducks, according to my trusted sources), and cute. Living in suburbia, cute should help with the neighbors. They also have a reputation for being productive egg layers. Some ducks have apparently been sold as runners but are crosses between runners and another breed.

May your ducks bring you much joy.

 

[Wokawidget]

Thanks for the reply. I'll check out that site now.
My Campbell is perfect for the garden, she to eats all the nasty critters...and ALL my unripe blueberries

Cheers,

Woka

 

[mominoz]

I have 6 Runners from Holdereads (sp) for 9 months now-- they are just adorable, I have 3 greys (mallard coloration) and 3 penciled.Yes the penciled drake has a black eye patch and the females have brown ones. They aren't noisy, except one female, who I had to hold and feed a while when she was injured , now she is very demanding, they are 'skiddish' -- but if i move slow and talk to them they are fine. If I have tomatoes, they come right up!

They lay now , I get 1-3 eggs a day from the 4. I just love them , they are so funny and cute. Mine are not ranging yet , they are in a night pen and a day yard of 4 ft fence with hotwire around it. Later when I get more yard fencedI intend to let them roam more. (we live in the country. Mine stand upright and are purebred. I do have one female with a flaw a rounded fanny, she does stands upright--- runners do have a high percentage of flaws in the spine, 27%or so I read. So I have one in 6, and lost one as a baby.
They are fun

 

[tia]

I have black and fawn/white runners. I got my eggs from Metzers and hatched them in an incubator. I ordered 8 eggs and 7 of them hatched. They are not as upright as some runners, but are very sweet and funny. I love them. They greet me when I bring out the food and sometimes chew on my hair when I'm cleaning out their pen, and nibble on me. They love peas. My runners hatched the last day in July and are already laying eggs. The penciled runners are very pretty. I would like a few more colors, but live in town so I am limited. You will just love them!!!

 

[rainplace]

I love runners! Most of mine loud off and on throughout the day. Loud may be subjective, but I don't really have much to compare them to. I love black runners the most, but I also have 2 fawn/white and a blue. The blue is the least runnery looking of the lot. She and her two f/w friends are from metzers, my blacks are from Holderread.

Some pictures:

Fawn/white - Molly and Crackers

Blue - Choopiter

Black - Jack, Berry, Cherry, Apollo

 

[rainplace]

oh and a huge

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Oh, how pretty! I am definitely going to get Runners again but now can't decide on colors. That blue sure is fetching.
And after hearing about the sweet Campbell I may get a few of those.

 

[ultasol]

I just love those black runners!!!! Combined with the upright shape, they just look so svelte.

I ordered Storey's book written by David Holderread as I have found his "The Book of Geese" to be invaluable, and I am thinking the duck book will be the same.

I actually have runners right now. I had been dead set against ducks as ones my neighbors had had were not great foragers, ate a ton, and were extremely messy. These I actually ended up with on accident- a lady with kids that had been in 4-H was moving and getting rid of some nice birds. I wanted two particular hens, and she had me take ALL the birds (polish, silkies, two EE's, Runners) most of which will not be permanent residents. The chickens ended up being in need of some attention- bad mites, leg mites, very long nails in need of trimming, problems with picking and plucking. That said, they seem to be disease free although are being quarantined on the other end of the property from my birds. The ducks, runners from Holderread (3 hens) and drake from Goldenegg are doing great.

Everyone is still in QT, but has been wormed, dusted and they've been here several weeks and look good. I think the hens are an apricot, a penciled, and a white and the drake is a white. If anyone knows differently, I'd be glad to hear it. I don't know if I will keep them, but so far the runners are far less obnoxious and forage better than the neighbor's ducks. The apricot is not as upright as the others, the others stand straight up when at attention.

***Warning*** pictures from a person who can make even the most photogenic things look awful

 

[WestKnollAmy]

They are so cute! Why does no one ever want to give me something so really cool? Lucky you!