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Runner Ducks
Lulu The Lurcher
Posts: 258
in Talkback
Does anyone on here have experience of Indian Runner Ducks? We are considering having some but not sure how much damage they might do in the garden
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They're very good ducks in the garden, they don't scratch the soil/grass up and because they're upright they don't bash your perennials about when they walk through the beds/veg patch looking for slugs. The more 'orthodox' shaped ducks tend to walk through flowerbeds a bit like naval ice-breakers - bashing plants aside in their quest for tasty molluscs etc.
They don't necessarily need a pond but they do need water deep enough to immerse themselves in to clean their feathers and very important, clean their eyes.
I've not kept them but friends have.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks Dove, that's really helpful. Buoyed up with that information I've got a feeling "operation runner duck" will commence soon
I can't remember what programme I saw some on, but the owners said that they were great as they don't scratch like chickens but they eat all the beasties off the plants. Sounds like a great idea. I would love some!
I used to breed them, lovely ducks just make sure you get them in a shed at dusk or mr fox will have them. A childs solid plastic paddling pool will do, like the blue shell type, they will need a duck board to climb out.
I saw that too Poddington. Think it might have been Beechgrove.
I have ordinary ducks.They aren't nearly as bad as hens (have those too!) but do a good job of pest control. No slug holes in my hostas! There are some drawbacks to be aware of though.
Big flat feet and seedlings are a bad combination, mine also have regular routes where they wear a pathway and it is pointless planting anything precious.
They like sitting on things for a rest. Mine like clumps of alchemilla (OK, it can take it) and my small stone alpine troughs. This limits my planting choices!
They do eat some plant matter and like dabbling around on their grub hunts and this could disturb some delicate plants. Mine have acres to roam over - we live in open countryside and they are free to fly where they want - so this has minimal effect in my garden but might make more impact if they are confined in a smaller space.
If one of the females decides to nest in the spring watch out! Mine often choose plant tubs close to the house and make their nests from every piece of vegetation close to hand. You would have to confine yours somewhere safe if this happened. Quite often they get bored and decide that being out with their mates is more fun, but some carry on and rear ducklings. That is another story - many ducks are very bad mothers!
Despite all this I wouldn't be without ours. They are such fun to watch, get very friendly and somehow always look as if they are smiling, which makes me want to smile too!
Lulu I'm thinking of getting runner ducks too. I was thinking of just getting females - anyone know if that cause any problems?
Not sure what the best housing would be?
Also - we do have partridgoes all over the place - any idea if thats an issue? I don't want to fall out with the gamekeeper.