Indian Runner Ducks

• The Indian Runner is a very busy duck, great for the back yard; they love snails and slugs and are one of the best forms of organic pest control. We supply several garden centers for this purpose. This was their original use in the Far East where they were used to keep the rice fields free of nasties. They are predominantly kept for eggs: laying well over 200 per year. Laying an egg varying between white, off white and pale green. They cannot fly, the females quack and the males have a hoarse whisper. We love these ducks each having their own character they provide great amusement in the garden and never fail to entertain. They make great pets, a firm favorite with our children.

We find ducks to be delightful, trusting and loyal. They are easy to keep and depending on the breed are prolific egg layers. Ducks tend to be very hardy and suffer from far fewer diseases than other types of poultry. They are easy to keep with simple housing and protection from the fox they will give you much pleasure and enjoyment. Domestic ducks are as happy on land as they are on the water, a simple receptacle of water so they can wash and preen is all that is required ( child’s plastic sandpit is ideal) Ducks are excellent foragers and will hoover up all your slugs and snails. With the exception of the Muscovy, all domestic ducks are believed to be descendants of the mallard. To keep domestic ducks it is not necessary to have a pond, although it is advisable to have a suitable water container in which the birds can bathe and mate. Consideration should be given as to how the water is changed – there are plenty of wide shallow plastic troughs available which can easily be emptied and moved around to prevent one spot becoming too muddy. One advantage of keeping domestic waterfowl rather than wildfowl is that the birds are likely to take more readily to being shut away in a house at night, reducing (but not eliminating!) the risk of predation.Download our domestic duck information Domestic Leaflet Want to Keep ducks moscovy Indian Runners