Show off your Indian Runners!

[bellah1]

My runner girl had made a nest with quite a few eggs so we marked them and started taking the fresh ones out as she laid. We incubated 8 but one was a double yolker so 7 are doing awesome and on day 17 in the incubator. She was only sitting on the nest in the morning and then just stopped all together. She's my first runner girl & everyone keeps saying oh they never set & hatch their own eggs, not even if they make a nest. Well she made a second nest with 14 eggs more secluded this time and has been sitting on it for 12hrs without a break that I've seen, so if she has taken one it was a short one. My question how many of you all have had your runner sit and hatch her own ducklings??

 

[stonykill]

My runner girl had made a nest with quite a few eggs so we marked them and started taking the fresh ones out as she laid. We incubated 8 but one was a double yolker so 7 are doing awesome and on day 17 in the incubator. She was only sitting on the nest in the morning and then just stopped all together. She's my first runner girl & everyone keeps saying oh they never set & hatch their own eggs, not even if they make a nest. Well she made a second nest with 14 eggs more secluded this time and has been sitting on it for 12hrs without a break that I've seen, so if she has taken one it was a short one. My question how many of you all have had your runner sit and hatch her own ducklings??

my Runner girl Penelope was born from a broody and sat and hatched her eggs and was an excellant mother. I'm waiting for her or her offspring to go broody again this year.

 

[bellah1]

Thanks stonykill that gives me hope, today is day two and she is still on her nest.

Someone told me that 14 eggs is too many for a runner to set & hatch and I should remove a few. What do you think?

 

[stonykill]

Thanks stonykill that gives me hope, today is day two and she is still on her nest.

Someone told me that 14 eggs is too many for a runner to set & hatch and I should remove a few. What do you think?

that does sound like a lot of eggs for a tiny Runner. Penelope had 8 and hatched 6. She probably could have had a few more, but I thought 8 eggs seemed like enough. ButI only have the one broody duck experience. There is a broody duck thread. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/743710/old-fashioned-broody-thread-for-ducks-2013-edition . I would ask the same question there. How many eggs is a good number for a Runner? I'm sure someone there can help. Good people there.

 

[blondiebee181]

Yeah 14 sounds like a lot, they are fairly skinny...if there are eggs poking out the sides, they will probably get too cold...

 

[bellah1]

I was thinking the same thing but I can't really see any poking out but she has her black feathers and dried leaves & grass all around her nest so if there are any it's hard to tell. When we took the 8 out of her last nest she abandoned it so I'm just worried if I mess with it she might do the same thing but she only sat on that nest late at night or really early in the morning. she is seriously broody this time, she hasn't come off the nest for the last two days that any of us have seen & my daughter just tried to check to see if there are any visable eggs poking out & ruby hissed at her! so when I catch her off maybe I will just sneek like 4 out. By the way thanks for the advice.

 

[rescueacres]

I was thinking the same thing but I can't really see any poking out but she has her black feathers and dried leaves & grass all around her nest so if there are any it's hard to tell. When we took the 8 out of her last nest she abandoned it so I'm just worried if I mess with it she might do the same thing but she only sat on that nest late at night or really early in the morning. she is seriously broody this time, she hasn't come off the nest for the last two days that any of us have seen & my daughter just tried to check to see if there are any visable eggs poking out & ruby hissed at her! so when I catch her off maybe I will just sneek like 4 out. By the way thanks for the advice.

My runner girl sat on 14, I left her alone and let her decide when to start sitting. Three have hatched so far. There is a pic in the broody thread.
Good luck with yours!

 

[bellah1]

My runner girl sat on 14, I left her alone and let her decide when to start sitting. Three have hatched so far. There is a pic in the broody thread.
Good luck with yours!

Thanks, I think I actually just saw that pic & was showing it to my husband, they are so cute! I checked on my broody like an hour ago to see if she had gotten off her nest & she half way stood up & hissed so I got a good look. Her nest is clean and completely molded to her body, all the eggs looked covered because she has them long ways like a thin oval so I think I'm going to just leave her alone & let nature take its course. Fingers crossed

 

[rescueacres]

Thanks, I think I actually just saw that pic & was showing it to my husband, they are so cute! I checked on my broody like an hour ago to see if she had gotten off her nest & she half way stood up & hissed so I got a good look. Her nest is clean and completely molded to her body, all the eggs looked covered because she has them long ways like a thin oval so I think I'm going to just leave her alone & let nature take its course. Fingers crossed 

Goodluck with your broody girl! Post some pics when you can!

 

[blondiebee181]

Yes pics!