Indian runner duck: description of the breed, their diseases and breeding rules

Among the duck breeds that can be grown in the backyard, you can find completely unusual varieties. The Indian runner duck can be distinguished among the usual representatives of the duck family at a glance, its appearance is so characteristic. Consider the description of the breed, history of origin, pros and cons, features of keeping, feeding ration and breeding rules.

History of the origin of the breed

Indian runner ducks - an ancient breed, it is believed that it is more than 2 thousand years old. All this time they were bred in Southeast Asia. Only in the 19th century, the runners came to Europe, to the territory of Russia - in the 20th century.At first they were called penguin ducks, but then they were given the modern name - the Indian runner (Indian Runner). In the Krasnodar Territory, a variety was bred based on this breed and Chinese Peking ducks. She got the name Kuban duck.

Appearance and characteristics of Indian runners

By the breed standard, they have a narrow, cylindrical body set almost vertically. This makes them look like penguins. The chest and sides are rounded, the stomach is voluminous, but does not sag, the back is convex. The head is small, the beak is wedge-shaped, long. The neck is straight, thin, in relation to the body it occupies 1/3 of the part. Paws are orange, set like a penguin. The wings are pressed to the body, the tail is short, slightly raised. The plumage is white, black, brown, speckled brown, reminiscent of wild colors, trout and blue.

These birds are active, agile, run fast and are shy. The breed belongs to the egg orientation, it is bred to produce eggs.During the season, the female can carry 150-360 eggs weighing 68-80 g. The color of the shell is from white to olive. Egg production begins at 5-6 months of age.

Drake weight - 1.8-2 kg, ducks - 1.7-1.8 kg. At 2 months they weigh 1.2-1.5 kg. In order for the female to lay 10 eggs, she needs to feed 3.08 feed. units, so that the duck gains 1 kg of mass - 4.5 feed. units

Main pros and cons of content

Pros and consexcellent egg productivity;the ability to rush all year round;disease resistance;fertility;rapid growth of young animals;low feed costs;unusual appearance, variety of color;dietary meat, not fatty, odorless.fearfulness;not widespread, which makes it difficult to acquire ducklings.

Despite this, there is a steady demand among poultry farmers for ducklings, adult birds and breeding eggs.

Nuances of maintenance and care

Despite their exotic origin and remarkable appearance, Indian runners are not picky and do not require special conditions. They do well in a regular house, but it needs to be spacious, protected from wind and drafts.

The ability of runners to endure the cold allows them to be kept in an unheated barn, but only if the winter is not too cold. It should be borne in mind that if you keep the bird in a cold barn in the cold, egg production will drop to 12-13 dozen. To get a lot of eggs, you need to keep the ducks in a warm and bright room. If necessary, it is necessary to heat the house and light it up to 12-14 hours a day.

Next to the main room, you need to equip a paddock where you can release the bird every day. Put a trough with water for bathing, feed with grass or aquatic vegetation.

Meeting plan

If you keep Indian runners in a pasture where they can find pasture, such as grass, grain, insects, worms, then you can feed them 1 time per day, not 2-3, as usual. When kept in a pond, you can not feed at all. Ducks eat wet mash, grains of various kinds, cereals and legumes. They eat grass, young dandelions, tops of root crops, greens from the garden.

They can be given scraps from the table, boiled vegetables and root crops. Add chalk, s alt, crushed shell or premixes. Indian runners can be fed compound feed.

Breeding rules

For 1 drake, you need to select 5 females. Naturally, they must be purebred in order for the offspring to inherit the characteristic staging of the body. Parents of future ducklings should be large, he althy, properly built, without conformation flaws.Puberty in ducks occurs at 5-6 months, the fertility of eggs is 88%.

Eggs can be placed on the female (8-10 pieces due to her small size) or sent to the incubator. Incubation of ducklings of this breed takes place under the same conditions as for other breeds. The percentage of hatchability is never less than 80, when incubated by a duck - 90%.

Ducklings appear on the 28-31st day of incubation. Differ in survival, grow quickly. The first month they are kept in a brooder, under a lamp that illuminates and warms. They are first fed with cottage cheese, an egg, then finely crushed grain and chopped grass are added. After a month of growing in a brooder, young ducklings are transferred to the poultry house.

Runners are named because they are mobile and love to run.If they are released into the yard, they will rush through it in a whole flock. Ducks are hardy, do not get tired of looking for food. If they get into the garden, they can spoil the planted. Ducks do not feel uncomfortable in a pen if it is spacious. It should contain bathing water, with which the birds will keep their plumage clean. In the absence of bathing, females may reduce egg production, become restless.

By external signs, you can determine the sex of ducklings of Indian runners, if necessary for fattening or breeding. You can distinguish a young drake from a duck by the shade of plumage and paws. In females, they are lighter. In 2-3-month-old drakes, the feathers on the tail twist up. You can also determine the sex of the Indian runner by the sound it makes: females quack, males hiss.

Frequent diseases

Indian runners are in good he alth. They have good immunity, successfully resisting diseases.There are no characteristic diseases that are inherent in Indian runners. But young animals can be prone to hypovitaminosis, as a result of which ducklings become weak, sickly, and depressed. Adult females may develop cloacitis during the laying period. This is an inflammation of the mucous membranes of the oviduct and cloaca, the reason is a lack of nutrients.

Indian runners will get sick less if kept on clean bedding, fed from clean feeders and drinkers. From the feeders you need to remove the remnants of food every day, rinse and dry them, pour clean water into the drinkers. Disinfection once a month.

Don't let the ducklings live crowded. For 1 sq. m. poultry house is allowed to place no more than 6-8 birds. Be sure to walk the ducks, do not keep them constantly in the barn. On the street, even in the pen, they move a lot, they can find something tasty, they are illuminated by the sun's rays.

Indian runners are an ancient breed that is still being bred. In addition to their attractive and funny appearance, they have qualities that are valued by poultry farmers. They carry a lot of eggs, which is considered an advantage for a medium-sized duck, they grow quickly, do not require a lot of food.

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