Hello.
@AGeese :
The question would be... why would you want Indian Runner ducks, exactly?
For the eggs, or for them to get rid of slugs or some insects...?
To have a good fertilizer thanks to their droppings...?
...Just because you like them?
I first took runners home because I needed to remove all the slugs in my garden : I live in a very humid area, with so much and so big slugs in my garden my chickens could not even eat them; and so, in the past, during the planting seasons (vegetables), I had to go out each and every night so I could get rid of the slugs myself, with only my hands to work...
I've finally ended up having enough, so I decided to take runner ducks, since they are renowned to be THE breed to take home if we want to get rid of slugs...
And it was the BEST decicion of my life; ah ah!
Indeed, since then, I have not been having any slugs problems anymore!
Runners work fast, and good!
...Today, I have 11 Indian Runners : 3 males and 8 females.
For now...
Ratio male-female is really not great : I would actually need more females for next mating season, so I would be sure the ducks are not hurt by the drakes.
But last year was worse than now : because of a error by the seller (can happen!), I had 2 males for 2 females!
I had them mating during a sufficiently long period of time (in spring and early summer, 2023) ONLY so they could fertilize the eggs and give me ducklings... But once I had no more free coop for my broody chickens, I decided to separate my drakes from my females. Because during mating season, drakes are rapist, and agressive, and mean...
(But thanksfully, before that, none of my females were hurt! I was probably lucky, or my drakes are not some kind of monsters compared with some others, during mating season...?)
...
...If you want ducks, you would be wise to take AT LEAST 3 females for 1 drake!
Also, I don't know for geese, but what I know for chickens is : you can let them range together, BUT you will have to separate your drakes from your chickens - even from your rooster(s)! - during mating season.
Because drakes will rape your hens - probably kill some of them doing so -, and could also assault your rooster.
...Mines did! (But did kill none of my chickens, since I had noticed quickly what was happening - thanksfully...!!)
But the rest of the year, you can let your runners with your chickens : they won't fight not kill each others.
Some ducks - especially females, I noticed - are kind of bad-tempered, so if you have agressive chickens, they at least won't let them bully them.
You can really just let them be AND be at peace : each breed will stay on its side, so even if they don't like each others, they won't care so much they would fight for nothing, or whatever...
But if you let your ducks ranging WITH your chickens, you will have to remember to change the water in their waterer(s) several times a day : indeed, ducks dirty the water easily; and you don't want your chickens to drink brown water because of your ducks...
...Concerning the eggs...
1 : Runner ducks lay a lot of eggs...
I generally have 1 egg a day per duck, so I am easily and quickly reimbursed the expenses I make for my ducks...
2 : Ducks' eggs taste richer than chickens' eggs.
I personally prefer ducks' eggs...
But YOU should taste them before taking ducks home : some people don't like ducks' eggs, or discover they are allergic after adopting ducks, sadly...
I find ducks' eggs to be the best for pastry, specifically...
I use the majority of my eggs for flans, and compared with chickens' eggs, ducks' eggs give a so good taste and texture to the flans I make they taste like HEAVEN... like they are made by pastry chef!
And that's really not me : that's thanks to my ducks...!
...Also :
1 : Indian Runners live up to their name.
They run fast.
And they don't fly... or rarely, because they actually could, if they learn.
Indeed : I have one runner drake that learned to fly!
He once was flew away by a very strong wind, and since then, he has known how to fly - boy probably really liked to be so high up!
Nevertheless, he rarely does : he just flew two times during mating season, but just in order to go to the females to mate.
But if ever you have a "flying runner", you don't have to worry about your duck running away : Indian Runner never run away, because they live in group, and NEVER stay away from their group (they are much to cowardly to do so)...
(When my drake flew away because of the wind, he was panicked and crying, and trying to get back home by all means...!!)
2 : Runner ducks need water to swim.
I know some people have Indian Runners and no water for them to swim...
But ALL ducks need to swim for them to have beautiful feathers and no lice, and... in my opinion, Indian Runners are the breed that needs the more to swim : they can be really stupid (one duck fall on some kind of obstacle, and ALL the group - could - do the same), and could hurt themselves easily... and since they are so high on their feet, they look like swimming is essential for them to reduce the risk to have legs' problems...?
(If you have a limping runner, you want the duck to be able to swim in order to heal quickly...)
...
Voilà.
Here is what I could think to tell about Indian Runners.
Hope it helps.
(Ask questions if you want to!)
@Miss Lydia :
I know I already told you so in the past... but your runner are really beautiful!
I'm kind of waiting for my black runners to be old enough to have these white spots around the eyes : I find them to give a really cute look to the ducks.
@Awaytome :
Your runners are so lovely...!
The brown one are the kind of runner I want...!!
Your drake... is it due to molting, or does he really look like a fawn and white and blue mix...?!
Because for what I can tell thanks to your picture, he has amazing colours...! He really is magnificient!
@DuckyDonna :
Your ducks are cute...
They clearly don't look like they could be sad; ah, ah!
You are spoiling them, and it is showing in the pictures! Looks like a mini-Heaven for ducks...!!
(I feel I have to say it, so : congratulations!)
Their pool is amazing!
Did you make it yourself? How... is it made, exactly?
@AGeese :
The question would be... why would you want Indian Runner ducks, exactly?
For the eggs, or for them to get rid of slugs or some insects...?
To have a good fertilizer thanks to their droppings...?
...Just because you like them?
I first took runners home because I needed to remove all the slugs in my garden : I live in a very humid area, with so much and so big slugs in my garden my chickens could not even eat them; and so, in the past, during the planting seasons (vegetables), I had to go out each and every night so I could get rid of the slugs myself, with only my hands to work...
I've finally ended up having enough, so I decided to take runner ducks, since they are renowned to be THE breed to take home if we want to get rid of slugs...
And it was the BEST decicion of my life; ah ah!
Indeed, since then, I have not been having any slugs problems anymore!
Runners work fast, and good!
...Today, I have 11 Indian Runners : 3 males and 8 females.
For now...
Ratio male-female is really not great : I would actually need more females for next mating season, so I would be sure the ducks are not hurt by the drakes.
But last year was worse than now : because of a error by the seller (can happen!), I had 2 males for 2 females!
I had them mating during a sufficiently long period of time (in spring and early summer, 2023) ONLY so they could fertilize the eggs and give me ducklings... But once I had no more free coop for my broody chickens, I decided to separate my drakes from my females. Because during mating season, drakes are rapist, and agressive, and mean...
(But thanksfully, before that, none of my females were hurt! I was probably lucky, or my drakes are not some kind of monsters compared with some others, during mating season...?)
...
...If you want ducks, you would be wise to take AT LEAST 3 females for 1 drake!
Also, I don't know for geese, but what I know for chickens is : you can let them range together, BUT you will have to separate your drakes from your chickens - even from your rooster(s)! - during mating season.
Because drakes will rape your hens - probably kill some of them doing so -, and could also assault your rooster.
...Mines did! (But did kill none of my chickens, since I had noticed quickly what was happening - thanksfully...!!)
But the rest of the year, you can let your runners with your chickens : they won't fight not kill each others.
Some ducks - especially females, I noticed - are kind of bad-tempered, so if you have agressive chickens, they at least won't let them bully them.
You can really just let them be AND be at peace : each breed will stay on its side, so even if they don't like each others, they won't care so much they would fight for nothing, or whatever...
But if you let your ducks ranging WITH your chickens, you will have to remember to change the water in their waterer(s) several times a day : indeed, ducks dirty the water easily; and you don't want your chickens to drink brown water because of your ducks...
...Concerning the eggs...
1 : Runner ducks lay a lot of eggs...
I generally have 1 egg a day per duck, so I am easily and quickly reimbursed the expenses I make for my ducks...
2 : Ducks' eggs taste richer than chickens' eggs.
I personally prefer ducks' eggs...
But YOU should taste them before taking ducks home : some people don't like ducks' eggs, or discover they are allergic after adopting ducks, sadly...
I find ducks' eggs to be the best for pastry, specifically...
I use the majority of my eggs for flans, and compared with chickens' eggs, ducks' eggs give a so good taste and texture to the flans I make they taste like HEAVEN... like they are made by pastry chef!
And that's really not me : that's thanks to my ducks...!
...Also :
1 : Indian Runners live up to their name.
They run fast.
And they don't fly... or rarely, because they actually could, if they learn.
Indeed : I have one runner drake that learned to fly!
He once was flew away by a very strong wind, and since then, he has known how to fly - boy probably really liked to be so high up!
Nevertheless, he rarely does : he just flew two times during mating season, but just in order to go to the females to mate.
But if ever you have a "flying runner", you don't have to worry about your duck running away : Indian Runner never run away, because they live in group, and NEVER stay away from their group (they are much to cowardly to do so)...
(When my drake flew away because of the wind, he was panicked and crying, and trying to get back home by all means...!!)
2 : Runner ducks need water to swim.
I know some people have Indian Runners and no water for them to swim...
But ALL ducks need to swim for them to have beautiful feathers and no lice, and... in my opinion, Indian Runners are the breed that needs the more to swim : they can be really stupid (one duck fall on some kind of obstacle, and ALL the group - could - do the same), and could hurt themselves easily... and since they are so high on their feet, they look like swimming is essential for them to reduce the risk to have legs' problems...?
(If you have a limping runner, you want the duck to be able to swim in order to heal quickly...)
...
Voilà.
Here is what I could think to tell about Indian Runners.
Hope it helps.
(Ask questions if you want to!)
@Miss Lydia :
I know I already told you so in the past... but your runner are really beautiful!
I'm kind of waiting for my black runners to be old enough to have these white spots around the eyes : I find them to give a really cute look to the ducks.
@Awaytome :
Your runners are so lovely...!
The brown one are the kind of runner I want...!!
Your drake... is it due to molting, or does he really look like a fawn and white and blue mix...?!
Because for what I can tell thanks to your picture, he has amazing colours...! He really is magnificient!
@DuckyDonna :
Your ducks are cute...
They clearly don't look like they could be sad; ah, ah!
You are spoiling them, and it is showing in the pictures! Looks like a mini-Heaven for ducks...!!
(I feel I have to say it, so : congratulations!)
Their pool is amazing!
Did you make it yourself? How... is it made, exactly?
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