We started last year with our first batch of Indian Runners and we couldn't be happier!. They came from a breeder with a flock of top notch genetics and from the looks of their adult shape they seem to have the right character features, at least to me that is.
Due to the time of the year we kept them inside till the weather warmed up and they got a little bigger. We have all sorts of birds of pray so better safe than sorry I thought, it was certainly something to listen to the chirping indoors for that few weeks tho.
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| Indian Runners |
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Here they are at the "teen" stage. While they were still young and small, we let them forage all day long by themselves, there was only a few times I had to scare off some turkey vultures/hawks/eagles.
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| Indian Runner Ducks |
At this point they were trained to know that when the back door opens, its treat time!. So in this case, early bird gets the oatmeal.
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| Indian Runner duck pets |
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| Runner Ducks |
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| Indian Runner ducks Canada |
Now they are all grown up and forage around our 100 acre farm. They are essential to farming in my mind, especially to a strawberry farmer. With all the bugs that can ruin a strawberry patch it only makes sense to have a patrol of ducks that love to eat those very pests!. At the end of the year we cut as much grass as possible and send them out over the next few weeks into the strawberry/raspberry patch and let them go to town on the bug population. Our plan is to up the flock to about 200 as well as bring in the black Indian runners and start a little breeding program. Here goes!
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| Indian Runner ducks full grown |
