Indian Runners
Indian Runner Duckling
These birds are so fun. They used to free range our yard and run as a group. I added crested fawn and white runners to our flock in the summer of 2012. We also added blue, black splash. The hope was to breed the two and get blue crested ducks. The fawn and whites were purchased from Ideal Poultry, and I have to say you can tell the difference between them and the ducks from a breeder (the BBS). The breeder ducks stand taller and have the appropriate streamline shape.
There is a sad part to owning crested ducks. The cresting gene is what is known as a fatal gene. If an embryo ends up with two of the genes, the duckling will die prior to hatching. This is because the crest is actually created via a hole in the skull. If the duckling has a double gene for this, their brain often develops outside the skull. I know... sad isn't it. Its not talked about alot, but I wanted to make sure that anyone who buys eggs with the crested gene is aware of the fact. To avoid double cresting gene, my plan was to only have non-crested drakes. Sadly - I had to get rid of the ducks because they were trampling the daylilies. I had replaced them with some Grey Call Ducks, but it just wasn't the same - and the hawks thought they were very tasty
There is a sad part to owning crested ducks. The cresting gene is what is known as a fatal gene. If an embryo ends up with two of the genes, the duckling will die prior to hatching. This is because the crest is actually created via a hole in the skull. If the duckling has a double gene for this, their brain often develops outside the skull. I know... sad isn't it. Its not talked about alot, but I wanted to make sure that anyone who buys eggs with the crested gene is aware of the fact. To avoid double cresting gene, my plan was to only have non-crested drakes. Sadly - I had to get rid of the ducks because they were trampling the daylilies. I had replaced them with some Grey Call Ducks, but it just wasn't the same - and the hawks thought they were very tasty
Indian Runner Flock
As you can see in the picture at the top of the page, I had a lot of different colors and shapes of runners. I decided I needed to breed what I wanted, which is blue, black splash (BBS) carrying the crested gene. In order to do this I got eggs from a breeder that carried BBS runners. Then I ordered crested fawn and whites from Ideal. Then a predator killed most of my flock. Its sad, but I believe the Runner project is at an end for now. As noted above, we replaced them with call ducks. Since the calls are able to fly, we're hoping they will be better equipped to escape if needed, but that didn't help with the hawks.