what do you like and dislike about runner ducks?

[KenjiQuacker]

Runners are very wary of anything that they have never seen before. Doesn't matter how many times you've given them a head of purple cabbage, give them a head of green cabbage and they act like the primates in 2001 when the Monolith appeared.

Mine come running providing that they are hungry, which is most of the time!

They are loud, which I am fine with. View attachment 2547963

wow! when I get mine I'll try my best to show them as many things as I can then!

Your ducks are adorable btw!

 

[KenjiQuacker]

Aside from the whole ducks-are-messy-and-poop-everywhere reality of all ducks, there is nothing I dislike about runners.

Of the 10 I now have, all were raised by me from the time they were a day or two old. NONE of them wants to be held, but nearly all are pretty friendly and all will come running -- with that unique runner gait -- if they think there's even a chance of feed or a treat.

One of my original ducks, Quinn, is the funniest. When she gets excited about food, she literally stands in one place and jumps up and down. It cracks me up every time.

Thats so cool that they'll come running to you! And that's awesome, Quinn sounds like an amazing duck.

 

[Pollo Blanco]

If I hatch them and raise them from ducklings and handle them every day ( without scaring or hurting them at all ) and give them treats, do you think they'd learn to trust me?

Once they realize that you're bringing them food, they'll trust you to dump it in their feeder.

 

[KenjiQuacker]

Once they realize that you're bringing them food, they'll trust you to dump it in their feeder.

haha yeah

 

[Loopeend]

They are the rats of ducks.

Rats are the smartest/odd-balls of rodents.
Indian runners too from ducks.

Next to having a different diet (more meat).. their group structure is less monogamous and they both needed curiosouty for their survival.

So they are smart. And cheeky. And they can't help it to want to be curious.

Where a rabbit/guinea pig just is happy by sitting. Maybe sniffing at an new object when they feel like it..
rats/indian runners just can't help themselves they NEED to investigate..

Ending in weird sitiuations. I guess the down-side is.. you can't just leave anything everywhere or leave a door open or something. They are mischeavious by default. Make a mistake and you wake up by a whole group sleeping on your bed; get a cat-door; yeah they are going to learn how to use it...or by a whole lot of quacking like they are in danger but either the neighbourhoodkid dropped a ball in the yard/or they are actually annoying a cobra like if it is a game.. you just never know..

It's personal if ducks like that fit you. If you are not charmed by their curiosity/intelligence it can be a hassle. Non-stop watching if you closed stuff off/removed everything from the yard... they will investigate everything.. one night we like woke up.. we had massive amounts of styrofoam stored in our yard to be put in the walls for insolation. it was SO quite.. we woke up from the silence. They ate through all of it an pooped styrofoam for days.. I think that says it all; they are like toddlers.. if they are too silent they are up to no good.. because they know.. they exactly know what they are not allowed to do... you can't paint anything without them.. they just NEED to see what you do.. FORCING themselves and no matter how you make everything duck-proof one somehow manages to put his head in paint while you are too busy fighting the other nosy-busy-bodies off for their own safety..
I think I can find a movie how we needed to build a whole fence to stop them from eating cement for the bricks we were laying.. and they were SO MAD they were not allowed to eat cement :')

I guess; do you like dogs? You like good boys? don't get Runners. Other duck-species might suite you more.
Like cats? Rats? Toddlers? Demon-spawn? Yeah you might like runners too.

 

[DucksAreBest]

They are the rats of ducks.

Rats are the smartest/odd-balls of rodents.
Indian runners too from ducks.

Next to having a different diet (more meat).. their group structure is less monogamous and they both needed curiosouty for their survival.

So they are smart. And cheeky. And they can't help it to want to be curious.

Where a rabbit/guinea pig just is happy by sitting. Maybe sniffing at an new object when they feel like it..
rats/indian runners just can't help themselves they NEED to investigate..

Ending in weird sitiuations. I guess the down-side is.. you can't just leave anything everywhere or leave a door open or something. They are mischeavious by default. Make a mistake and you wake up by a whole group sleeping on your bed; get a cat-door; yeah they are going to learn how to use it...or by a whole lot of quacking like they are in danger but either the neighbourhoodkid dropped a ball in the yard/or they are actually annoying a cobra like if it is a game.. you just never know..

It's personal if ducks like that fit you. If you are not charmed by their curiosity/intelligence it can be a hassle. Non-stop watching if you closed stuff off/removed everything from the yard... they will investigate everything.. one night we like woke up.. we had massive amounts of styrofoam stored in our yard to be put in the walls for insolation. it was SO quite.. we woke up from the silence. They ate through all of it an pooped styrofoam for days.. I think that says it all; they are like toddlers.. if they are too silent they are up to no good.. because they know.. they exactly know what they are not allowed to do... you can't paint anything without them.. they just NEED to see what you do.. FORCING themselves and no matter how you make everything duck-proof one somehow manages to put his head in paint while you are too busy fighting the other nosy-busy-bodies off for their own safety..
I think I can find a movie how we needed to build a whole fence to stop them from eating cement for the bricks we were laying.. and they were SO MAD they were not allowed to eat cement :')

I guess; do you like dogs? You like good boys? don't get Runners. Other duck-species might suite you more.
Like cats? Rats? Toddlers? Demon-spawn? Yeah you might like runners too.

I think it depends on their genetics, because mine are not as curious as yours.

 

[KenjiQuacker]

They are the rats of ducks.

Rats are the smartest/odd-balls of rodents.
Indian runners too from ducks.

Next to having a different diet (more meat).. their group structure is less monogamous and they both needed curiosouty for their survival.

So they are smart. And cheeky. And they can't help it to want to be curious.

Where a rabbit/guinea pig just is happy by sitting. Maybe sniffing at an new object when they feel like it..
rats/indian runners just can't help themselves they NEED to investigate..

Ending in weird sitiuations. I guess the down-side is.. you can't just leave anything everywhere or leave a door open or something. They are mischeavious by default. Make a mistake and you wake up by a whole group sleeping on your bed; get a cat-door; yeah they are going to learn how to use it...or by a whole lot of quacking like they are in danger but either the neighbourhoodkid dropped a ball in the yard/or they are actually annoying a cobra like if it is a game.. you just never know..

It's personal if ducks like that fit you. If you are not charmed by their curiosity/intelligence it can be a hassle. Non-stop watching if you closed stuff off/removed everything from the yard... they will investigate everything.. one night we like woke up.. we had massive amounts of styrofoam stored in our yard to be put in the walls for insolation. it was SO quite.. we woke up from the silence. They ate through all of it an pooped styrofoam for days.. I think that says it all; they are like toddlers.. if they are too silent they are up to no good.. because they know.. they exactly know what they are not allowed to do... you can't paint anything without them.. they just NEED to see what you do.. FORCING themselves and no matter how you make everything duck-proof one somehow manages to put his head in paint while you are too busy fighting the other nosy-busy-bodies off for their own safety..
I think I can find a movie how we needed to build a whole fence to stop them from eating cement for the bricks we were laying.. and they were SO MAD they were not allowed to eat cement :')

I guess; do you like dogs? You like good boys? don't get Runners. Other duck-species might suite you more.
Like cats? Rats? Toddlers? Demon-spawn? Yeah you might like runners too.

Runners sound amazing after hearing this! (Even the negative things about them).
I love animals who are curious and wanna be involved in everything you do, I find it adorable. Even if they're mischievous I find that pretty cute too. I have some experience with training animals so I'm up for a challenge, even if ducks can't be trained it still sounds pretty fun.

(rats are one of my favorite animals btw).

That's so funny that they wanted to eat the cement, I have never had an animal that wants to eat cement, even my dog who wants to eat everything.

Thanks for the warnings, I'm definitely up for a challenge!

(edit) I actually find animals who sit around all day and don't bother trying to figure out what you're doing pretty boring.

 

[Percipen]

I agree with @DucksAreBest 100% on pros and (no) cons. I have 4 runners, a cayuga and a buff. I love all of my ducks, but my runners are hands-down my favorites of the flock. I actually have some runner hatching eggs coming next week! Our babies will be close in age

 

[KenjiQuacker]

I agree with @DucksAreBest 100% on pros and (no) cons. I have 4 runners, a cayuga and a buff. I love all of my ducks, but my runners are hands-down my favorites of the flock. I actually have some runner hatching eggs coming next week! Our babies will be close in age

I'm really excited for my little runner ducks, and that's awesome! Good luck with the hatch!

 

[DucksAreBest]

I agree with @DucksAreBest 100% on pros and (no) cons. I have 4 runners, a cayuga and a buff. I love all of my ducks, but my runners are hands-down my favorites of the flock. I actually have some runner hatching eggs coming next week! Our babies will be close in age

Ohh, nice, I always loved incubating. Good luck with your hatching. I also might hatch Indian Runners after I will hatch my Khaki Campbells (The eggs will be ready soon).