If I would keep them in their night coop until mid-morning, I would not have to go searching but what is the fun of that? My birds have a half dozen of their favorite spots to lay including in bromeliads, under bushes and right in the middle of the garden path. Many sources say that Runners lay early in the morning. Younger birds seem to lay darker eggs, with the color lightening up as they mature. Some Runner strains like the Silvers, Blues, and Chocolates lay dark green to tan eggs.
Since my flock has free range of my one-acre homestead I often go on a daily egg hunt searching for their 70g bone-white sized eggs. Kenny Coogan as a teenager, raising runner ducks, blue and black varietiesĪlthough Runner ducks lay countless eggs annually, they are not a broody breed. Some Runner strains can lay up to 300 eggs a year. Duck eggs, which contain quite a bit of Omega-3 fatty acids, have the potential of making bake goods fluffier. Purebred Runners on average lay around 200 eggs a year. They will happily eat snails, slugs, garden pests and weeds. Runners who can live up to 10 years old are said to be the most active foragers of all domestic breeds. Baby ducks are ready to roam quickly after they hatch and this is exemplified in runner ducks. Raising Runner ducks is a valuable hobby due to their incredible active foraging lifestyle and egg production. If showing your birds, ensure that their flight feathers are folded back properly. Runner ducks have the tightest feathers of all ducks, allowing them to be disheveled easily in transport. Tall birds with long and straight bills are ideal. A great Runner has smooth feathers, is slender and nearly vertical with an imaginary straight line running from the back of the head through the neck and body to the end of their tail. The ring allows the birds to show off their running gait and tall stature. Showing Runner ducks in a ring has advantages compared to showing birds in a show cage. In 1977 the Black, Buff, Chocolate, Cumberland Blue and Gray were admitted. In North America, the Fawn & White variety was the first to be admitted to the American Standard in 1898.
Standard and nonstandard colors include: Black, Blue Fairy Fawn, Blue Fawn, Blue-Brown Penciled, Blue-Fawn Penciled, Buff, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Cumberland Blue, Dusky, Emery Penciled, Fairy Fawn, Fawn & White, Golden, Gray, Khaki, Lavender, Lilac, Pastel, Penciled, Porcelain Penciled, Saxony, Silver, Splashed, Trout and White. Runner ducks come in more varieties than any other duck breed. Ducks are between 24 and 28 inches tall and drakes can measure up to 32 inches. Runner ducks are considered a lightweight breed with females weighing on average four to four and a half pounds and males weighing up to five pounds. Avoid low, short or stocky bodies and short necks and bills, contrary to heavyweight breeds such as Muscovy ducks. When choosing breeders, strong legs with a smooth running gait is desirable. When standing at attention, show specimens stand nearly perpendicular to the ground. When foraging around, their posture is between 45 and 75 degrees. In addition to describing Runner ducks as a mix between a penguin and a bowling pin, breeders and judges look for a wine bottle shape with a head and legs. The Runners must have been off the two weeks I was in Thailand last summer, as I did not see a single duck in or near the rice fields. Through artificial selection, farmers choose birds who were skillful foragers and could travel long distances with ease. I have heard stories of duck herders taking their ducks out to rice fields during the day where the birds clean up fallen grain, weeds and snack on pests.
For many centuries in Asia raising and herding ducks has been a traditional homesteading practice. In ancient Javan temples, Runner-like hieroglyphics date back to 2,000 years ago. Now 20 some years later, I still have a small flock of Runners foraging about. With their unique appearance and high egg production, Runner ducks were a great addition to our homestead. After dabbling in call ducks, I increased my flock to include Fawn and White Runner ducks. Keeping Runner ducks combines the benefits of raising poultry with the entertainment of watching penguin-like bowling pins forage around the yard.