Day Old Premium Runner Ducklings
Hatching March to July.
Runner Ducks are very tall and upright. They look almost comical with their penguin-like posture.
Production: Originally bred for controlling pests in rice production, and Runner Ducks can still be put to great use removing pests in the garden and farm environment. Beyond their usefulness in pest control, Runner Ducks are excellent, even prolific, egg layers, outlaying many breeds of chickens. 100 and 180 eggs can be expected per year. Eggs are often tinted blue or green and are large.
Temperament: Runner Ducks are energetic and industrious, foraging actively and briskly throughout the day. They seem to make an effort to cover the yard or garden. These birds are a great sustainable resource for pest management in organic gardening operations. Runner Ducks are also great pets and show birds, though they can be excitable and a bit nervous. Despite their excitability, they are also very easy to herd, having a strong herding instinct. They do not tend to go broody.
History: The Runner Duck is a very old breed. They originated in Indonesia and were bred for both egg-laying and for controlling pests in rice paddies. They were first imported into Europe and Great Britain in the 1500s. Gray, Black, and Blue colors were admitted in 1977, White was admitted in 1914.
Colors:
Gray: The Gray Runner has traditional Mallard coloring.
Emery Penciled: The Emery Penciled Runner Duck has a dark and rich brown penciled plumage mixed with white.
White: pure white duck with blue-gray eyes, an orange bill, and feet.
Black: A pure black duck with a green sheen, brown eyes, and dark coal-colored feet, legs, and bill.
Blue: A slate gray duck with grayish bill and feet. Males tend to be a darker shade than females.
Penciled: A striking Runner Duck with dark facial markings in the male and lighter on the female. The neck and lower body are white with tan penciled feathering over the lower neck, shoulders, upper wings, and breast. Tails are the same color as the facial markings. Legs and feet are bright orange, and bills are greenish-blue.
Conservation Status: Recovering
Weight: Males 4.5 lbs; Females 4 lbs.
APA Class: Light Duck
Premium Runner Ducklings will not ship to Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, West Virginia, Washington, or Virginia.
