Runner ducks are active foragers. Instead of eating slugs, they feed on greens. However, they do require certain types of food, such as layers pellets. Luckily, this species is quite easy to care for as pets. Below are a few things you should know about their diet.
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Runner ducks are active foragers
Runner ducks are prolific layers and can lay more than 250 eggs a year. They are also very active foragers, rummaging for food, seeds, and insects. These birds can fly for several minutes at a time and are highly mobile. They are a natural alternative to using pesticides.
Runner ducks were originally bred in Asia to provide farmers with fresh eggs. They would work in the rice paddies within the sight of their owners and then return to the shelter to lay their eggs. Their unusual appearance and high egg production made them very popular. Runner ducks are now listed in the Watch category of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.
They eat greens instead of slugs
A runner duck is a light-bodied, smaller breed of duck that eats greens, herbs, and weeds. This means that they won’t destroy your plants. They can also be fed fresh vegetables and fruits every day. If you are raising ducks for meat, you can choose between the Indian Runner and the Khaki Campbell.
Runner ducks don’t like to be caged, and are therefore a good option for raised garden beds or even containers. These birds will eat greens while keeping the slugs and snails away. But they can also flatten your garden nursery beds. While they are beneficial garden inhabitants, they can also turn into pests if you don’t control them.
They are easy to keep as pets
Indian Runner ducks are easy to care for. They can live up to 15 years. Females lay between 150 and 200 eggs each year. They are a good source of fertilizer for your garden. They are also great at reducing the number of snails. Runner ducks are very friendly, but they can also be intrusive. Like many other poultry, they require daily care.
Runner ducks are great pets for many reasons. They are easy to raise and don’t require a pond. These birds are friendly and can be kept in mixed flocks with other breeds. They also help manage insects and slugs in your garden and are a great source of organic fertilizer. Runner ducks can live for eight to twelve years if they’re properly cared for.
They need layers pellets
Layers pellets are an essential part of your Indian Runner duck’s diet. These pellets contain additional calcium and phosphorus. These breeds can produce large jumbo eggs. These layers can lay between 300 and 350 eggs per year. They are blue-white in color and can be as large as 3.2 ounces.
To start laying eggs, you should begin giving them layers pellets around February. While the pellets themselves do contain calcium, it is also important to supplement their diet with shell grit. A high-quality pellet ration will provide your duck with enough vitamins and trace elements to lay eggs.
They need space to develop strong legs
Runner ducks are relatively lightweight birds. Females weigh about four and a half pounds and males weigh five pounds. They can reach heights of about 32 inches. They come in a variety of colors, but are typically black. Males are larger than females and have curly tail feathers.
These birds do well in flocks of other ducks of the same species. Their coop should be at least four to six square feet, but more space is better for them. Runner ducks prefer to spend most of their time exploring. Their coop should also provide them with 10 to twenty square feet of outside space. This is because they love to roam and forage and are best when given plenty of room.
