Indian Runners.........Help ! What do I do with them???

[MoonFrog]

Just got back from taking dd swimming, only to find dh has been aquiring two little swimmers of his own. We've been given 2 Indian Runner ducks by a mate of his. What do I do with them ?
They are secure in the back of a van at the moment as we want them to get accclimatised before we let them out - we don't want them to do a runner..(ahem). His mate gave us a bag of barley to feed them but what else do they need ?
We keep chickens, but have never had ducks before. We were planning on getting some, it's just that I had hoped I'd have a bit more notice.
Any advice welcomed.

[possumhead]

Sorry no constructive advice but this did make me smile! My Dh went away on a course with work before we were married and he came home with an indian runner duck!
He was a lovely duck, however, we lived in a two-bed terraced house with hardly any garden.
My dh hadn't thought things through very well (like most men) and he had to live in the rabbit run until we gave him away to the duck Sanctuary. They found him a lovely home on a farm with other indian runners. .
It turned out that my dh had paid a tenner to save the duck from becoming someones dinner!

[tensing]

Sorry only just logged on and seen your post.

Oh I have Runners, 5 now, got three more yesterday, great little birds.

Do you know how old they are or what sex?

If they are female then feed them Layers pellets /mash the same as the chickens if you want eggs they are good layers, ours lay most days.

You'll need a shelter and water, doesn't need to be a pond, a baby bath or better still a hard plastic paddling pool, so they can wash their heads.
Good Luck

[MoonFrog]

Hello Tensing.
Wouldn't you just know it they are both drakes and are a year old, white ones. Dh's friend wanted rid as he is bringing on some others and these two were too strong willed and bullying the rest.

We've set them up in an old coal bunker and they are merrily munching on shredded cabbage leaves in a very large bowl of water each day, in addition to the barley/corn mix.

Tbh I'm up to my eyes in poultry atm, and am in the process of separating this years chicks so we can get the cockerels in the freezer, and let the hens out - all our birds are totally free range, and consequently turn their beaks up at layers pellets/mash. I feed them a corn mix twice daily and otherwise just leave them to it.

May come back to you for more duck advice in the future if that's okay
x

[tensing]

Yes thats fine, we have only had ducks for a couple of months, but seem to be gaining knowledge very quickly.

We also have Khaki Campbells, an alysbury and a silver appleyard. as well as the bantam silkies and a embden gander.

One small word of warning you may want to keep drakes away from the hens if you have no female ducks as they do some times get a bit .....how shall I put it ... frisky, and will try with hens, which can obviously not do them a lot of good.

I love the fact that they live in a coal bunker, my gander lives in a compost bin.
Good Luck

[tensing]

Moonfrog,

If in the future you want some females let me know as I have 5 runner egggs in the incubator at the moment.