The Poultry Keeper

surrey bird · Joined: 20 Jul 2005 Posts: 61 Location: SURREY

I would have thought if a cross his head would show more stop? Not everything is show quality! Looks a nice home.

One of our pom pom ducklings is starting to quack, because they run around in a tight bundle I cant tell which one!

allymickie · Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 50

Morris & Daphnny look very nice together. Runners are very upright as you know and even crosses can look quite upright. I have two crosses that run with my runners and on first glance they all look the same but when you really look they are heavier, shorter in neck and squatter. It doesn't matter to me because they are pets and I am sure it doesn't matter to you either. When I started out I was told by a breeder that if runners keep breeding too closely then the young will eventually revert to mallard colouring, I'm not sure if this is true but perhaps this is why yours is more mallard looking in colour.

surrey bird · Joined: 20 Jul 2005 Posts: 61 Location: SURREY

should you keep the colours seperate for breeding or could you mix solid coloures in one pen, ie blacks and whites?

allymickie · Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 50

All depends what you want and the breeding of the ones you have, ie are they true solids or did they come from "part colours" like trouts or chocolate and white etc. You dont want to breed them too closely together. Are you doing it for fun or to show? I don't show mine and have no intention of doing so but if you want a good solid colour then you don't want to mix the colours. I would imagine it is like guinea pigs, dogs etc, if you mix the colours you lose the intensity of the colour or get patchiness.

ukmastiff · Joined: 23 Jul 2008 Posts: 24

We have thought about that of course but our main aim is too have a happy flock and hopefully some eggs in return for our care. A few chicks would be nice but only if we think we'd have space or homes for them.

The three blacks we have look really nice and even though they are a few weeks old one is obviously different as should be with the bluey metallic look appearing.

The breeder tells me that the male has been provided deliberately unrelated to the females so ideal for breeding if we wish.

I saw the drake ' father' of the black females and he looked absolutely stunning , upright clean coloured and very statesmanly. I fancy the blacks trio 'could' produce quality pure black chicks.

I dont know enough about our trio of Appleyards to comment to be honest. All I know is that they look very colourfull and grow at an alarming rate. I have a hinting suspicion that they are more ordinary I.E markings could be incorrect but of course at their age how do I know what will turn out with my lack of experience of them. They are near adult runner size already and are 9 or 10 weeks old.

I think we'll see what gets laid as they say down town Wink

allymickie · Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 50

Well I'm sure you'll enjoy them and be happy with whatever babies they produce. They sound luvly, black are especially stunning. Enjoy! Very Happy

surrey bird · Joined: 20 Jul 2005 Posts: 61 Location: SURREY

Well it looks like we have 3 pure white boys, two with tufts, so I am going to be in the market for drake swaps or some ducks to buy, dont realy want them to breed but rather not get caught out.

Miheila · Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 2 Location: Eastern US

I have five Fawn and Whites, and I'm buying Blacks and Chocolates from Holderread Farm in Oregon. Blacks are truly gorgeous, at least I think so. Now, my mom thought that, perhaps, breeding two Chocolates would be a bad idea. I know that breeding two Chocolate Labrador Retrievers (dogs, to those who don't know) is... let's just say I know it's nothing good. I personally think it is preposterous that the same principles would apply with ducks, but you can never be to sure. Also, what, possibly is the outcome of A black and Chocolate pairing?

I was thinking of possibly buying blues, but I've heard that Blue is a very unstable color. Is it true you can get blacks, whites and Splashes out of a Blue pairing?

Thanks,

Miheila

http://www.holderreadfarm.com/

rj · Joined: 17 Sep 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Somerset

Morris & Daphne look like they live in duck heaven. Morris may not have his mature feathers, turning from brown immature feathering to a silver/white tummy. He looks mallard or trout colour.

He is rather chubby and doesn't stand too well, her posture isn't very upright either. He could be pure runner just not a good shape or posture. I have some appleyard crosses that look like this their shape is half way between the two. It is hard to tell either way.

I have some pictures on my home grown website of young trout ducks coming into their mature feathering see bottom of ducks page www.avvz28.dsl.pipex.com . It shows the shape and carriage of runners to compare to these.

Trout is a light phase wild colour (mallard) that is more common in runners.

ukmastiff · Joined: 23 Jul 2008 Posts: 24

At least my blacks are 100 percent runner and the Appleyards are pure too Cool

Im well happy for morris and Daphney to be 'pets' as they say and just glad Morris didnt go the same way as his two companions did before I built ' Electric city ' for them Wink

Ive found the discussions interesting though thats for sure

You obviously take a lot of pics , I looked a tthem all and its great to see them. Nice to see some Appleyard pics i dont actually know many folk that have them and they are superb charecters in my opinion.
I have my own web server for my dog sites , I must put up some more duck pics on my gallery.

Cheers Mas

JC · Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 1101 Location: Sussex

Anyone got any hatching eggs? If so pm plz Smile

scottg · Joined: 18 Sep 2008 Posts: 16 Location: Bristol, UK

Has anyone got a pair of Indian runner ducks (not drakes) available anywhere near Bristol (or Somerset/Wiltshire).
Ideally 15 - 20 week old, not too fussy about type or colour.

Fingers crossed!!!

Scott & Sophie

UPDATE 7/10/08
We got a pair of ducks from a lovely lady on the Mendips - very pleased with them, and having much fun watching them!

rugby-137 · Joined: 26 Oct 2008 Posts: 8 Location: Guildford Surrey

Hi All

Can anyone tell me if Indian Runners are noisy birds to keep please.

Regards

Phil

james419 · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 8:22 pm Post subject:

We have 6 and they are quite chatty - quieter than the geese but noisier than the aylesbury's we ave good neighbours!

scottg · Joined: 18 Sep 2008 Posts: 16 Location: Bristol, UK

We have 2 runners - only had them 4 weeks or so, they do chat a bit and get quite vocal when they get excited!

At night though, when in their house, they are totally silent.

Our neighbours haven't complained about the ducks yet - nor have the ducks complained about the neighbours!!

It's nice to hear a bit of quacking - though ours are getting less vocal the more they get used to us.

We are much loving our ducks and any noise they make! Very Happy