Runners - Certain Colors and Temperament

[DuckDuckSook]

Hello there!

Just looking at Mertzer's lists of ducks and I noticed that on their website there is a huge difference in temperament listed for white/fawn runners compared to black, blue, and brown. Anyone have some personal experience with this? Is there truth in that or is it really an individual bird/situation type thing? Thanks for your input!

 

[Miss Lydia]

What did they say? I have Blk, blue, silver and Fawn an white Runners.

 

[DuckDuckSook]

They have a rating from 1 to 10 with 1 being the most calm breeds and 9 being most nervous. They have the white/fawn ranked as 7.5. The blue is 4.0, the black is 3.5, and the chocolate 4.3. I was just curious if that rings true with anyone's experience. Are the white/fawn ones more skittish?

 

[Runner duck mom]

We have raised all but the black runners ordered from Metzer and they are all quite friendly. Different personalities for sure, but they are always excited to see us and will eat out of our hand.
If anything our fawn and white female is the friendliest but she was an only duck for a few months so became quite attached to us
Metzer does rate runners as "nervous" but we've never owned any other breed of ducks to compare them to.

 

[DuckyDonna]

I've got 8 fawn/white, 1 chocolate drake and 2 of their kids which are mixed colors. I'd say they are all about the same temperament. I've got only 2 F/W that will eat out of my hand. My chocolate boy "thinks" about it but never has yet. They all come runnin' as fast as their little legs will carry them when they see me coming through.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

They have a rating from 1 to 10 with 1 being the most calm breeds and 9 being most nervous. They have the white/fawn ranked as 7.5. The blue is 4.0, the black is 3.5, and the chocolate 4.3. I was just curious if that rings true with anyone's experience. Are the white/fawn ones more skittish?

I have Runners in the same colors as @Miss Lydia: BBS and Fawn & White. The BBS were raised from eggs I hatched. I have had F&W that I acquired as an adult duck, a pair raised from ducklings, and, now, a pair that I hatched and raised. More skittish/nervous than the BBS, in general? Maybe...but only slightly. I find my blue to be the friendliest, followed by black and silver. Personally, I appreciate that they're nervous - watchful, quick to run from danger. They're very aware of their surroundings.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My fawn and white(2) are my most sweetest but I raised them from ducklings next is my blk I raised from ducklings [2] My other Runners were raised by mama ducks here too but I never got to have one on one with them. They def are very busy they have to be that is really what they were raised for to go out into vineyards rice paddies to work. But they are awesome ducks Even my mama raised [7] will eat out of my hand. I just don't pick them up unless I have to. They are an awesome addition to a homestead and keep me laughing with their antics.

 

[DuckDuckSook]

Thanks, everyone! I figured that it really depends on the individual bird/situation. I'm looking to get a mix of runner ducklings of all the different colors. They are such beautiful birds!

 

[DuckyDonna]

Thanks, everyone! I figured that it really depends on the individual bird/situation. I'm looking to get a mix of runner ducklings of all the different colors. They are such beautiful birds!

I know the ones you spend the most time with when they are young tend to be the most friendly. They will love you so much when they are little but then those teenage weeks happen and they won't like you so much. I was able to spend a ton of time with my first hatch and they were so sweet and the one I have left is no afraid of me at all. This year I had a new puppy who was a pest and I had to split my time so the 4 I kept aren't very friendly but hopefully, they're thinking about it.