The Indian runner duck is a bird, at one glance at the photo of which the mood can rise. An unusual appearance, combined with the bright prospects of breeding an Indian runner, make duck a welcome pet in any compound.
Duck Indian Runner
Interesting about the breed
When the breed had just begun to disperse around the world, its exotic appearance and the small number of livestock contributed to the fact that its representatives were treated as rare birds, and therefore kept them in a zoo. Whole crowds gathered near the cages with Indian runners.
The origin of the breed
The ancestor of Indian runners is the penguin duck, and Southeast Asia is considered their homeland. The distribution of the breed began in the 19th century, then these ducks ran around every English farm. It was in the UK that breeders carried out crosses, because of which the ducks have changed somewhat.
At the dawn of the twentieth century, they were already actively bred in Germany, and since 1926 - in Russia.
The value of meat and eggs
The Indian runner has not only unusually tender, delicious meat, which does not have a characteristic duck flavor. Another advantage is its high egg production, which does not stop throughout the year. This is not surprising, because this duck is considered a bird of the egg direction. In addition, this “product” is also very useful because the egg protein does not contain cholesterol.
In just a year, the runner duck is capable of laying up to 200 eggs weighing 70-80 g. The record number is about 350 eggs. In terms of taste, the product is similar to a chicken egg, therefore, the described birds are considered a worthy substitute for chickens.
Ducks and competitions
The video where Indian runners participate in relay races is truly enthralling. They run around, keeping a vertical stance and quickly sorting through their paws, they are not peculiar to overload from side to side.
All kinds of farm festivals and fairs rarely take place without these funny birds. In Asian countries, they like to organize competitions when Indian runners run out from behind a fence and rush to the finish line.
Description
As it has already become clear, the bird's appearance is rather unusual: the elongated body is set upright and straight. When describing it, it is often said that the body is shaped like a bottle. The chest is narrow, the neck is long and thin, the wings are very tightly pressed against the body, high legs - all this creates a slender silhouette.
If ducks are bred for shows, then too tall or short are discarded. The most valuable individuals are those with a long tail and a bulging belly.
The weight of ducks is small:
- drakes runners weigh under 2-2.5 kg;
- females - about 1.75 kg.
Plumage color
The color of the Indian runners is quite diverse:
- the black;
- white;
- blue;
- trout (gray or brown wings, the male has a green beak, the back is dark, the female’s belly and back are lighter and have an orange beak);
- brown and light brown;
- brown and brown speckled;
- red with an ashy tint (very rare);
- like a wild duck (head and neck of emerald color, tail black-green, chest red-brown, white ring on the neck);
- silvery wild (silver belly with breast, white wings, black and green head).
Light brown color is the most common. At the same time, the quality of the meat or egg, the color of the representative of the breed, black, white or any other, is not affected.
Breeding
Indian runner ducks are great parents. They do not need any special breeding conditions. The content of these ducks is not difficult. In the same way as for all ducks, for them it is necessary to provide good nutrition, a warm, clean room, although the minus temperature is suitable for them to mate.
Facts
The determination of the egg production period of the breed representatives depends on an interesting parameter. Ducks Indian runner with different colors of feathers rush in different periods: in winter - white, in the warm season - black. Why this happens, experts have not yet been able to establish.
When purchasing Indian runners, it is important to determine what they are for: for eggs or in order to breed, because if the female begins to incubate the ducklings and then care for them, the owners will not have eggs for food for 2 months.
The "male half" of the breed is active boyfriends. They easily cover other birds running nearby. But such offspring come out small, with significantly reduced egg production.
Training
In the fall, the best specimens are selected that were born in the spring of the same year. Five ducks are taken for one drake. A visual inspection is carried out, defects are detected, the weight of the bird is taken into account. In the female, the spaciousness of the abdomen, the fineness of the bones, as well as the condition of the feather are checked: it should be whole and smooth. At six months, individuals can already sit on eggs.
Offspring
Ducklings of an Indian runner hatch on day 28 of hatching. They grow very rapidly. Already at 2 months they practically catch up with their parents in mass.
They are ill little and rarely fight among themselves. In the first days of life, chicks consume only yolks, then whites. On the fourth day, in small portions they try mixed feed soaked in water. Gradually, little Indian runners are given greens to provide them with all the necessary substances for normal development.
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Incubation
If the owners decide to resort to incubation, it is worth considering some peculiarities. To collect eggs, you need to allocate a few days, but they should not be kept longer than a week. Storage temperature - 8-12 ° C, with a humidity of 70-75%. All testicles must be incubated at once.
Due to the high fat content of the yolk, it is extremely important to monitor the temperature in the incubator; from 14-15 days, each egg is cooled. To this end, turn on the fans for half an hour and turn off the heaters. Conduct cooling at the same time twice a day.
In recent days, you need to increase the humidity to 80-90%, water should flow down the walls. If the incubator does not stretch, the floor is covered with a wet cloth.
The incubation period lasts 30 days.
Maintenance and care
The content of the Indian runner is considered uncomplicated. In comparison with other breeds (Chinese Peking, Indoor, etc.), it even has a number of advantages.
Nutrition
The agile and nimble Indian runner grazes himself perfectly. The food is insects, plants, snails, etc. He especially loves greens: nettles, spinach, dill, dandelions, lettuce. Additionally, feed, wheat, oats, peas, corn, root crops are given.
Before an Indian runner duck sits down to hatch ducklings or just to improve egg production, it needs to be fed with vitamin supplements, chalk, eggshells.
The controversial question remains whether pets can be allowed to enter the garden where cultivated plants grow. Some reviews of the Indian runner claim that it can even become useful in the beds, it will destroy pests without breaking the ground. Others are sure that it is better not to do this, since the birds will open the whole garden.
Be that as it may, they should eat as much as they want, there can be no question of any diets. The Indian runner eats 3 times a day, and the female perched - 4.
Room
Although the Indian runner and tolerates frosts, freely slaps in the snow, you do not need to keep him in a cold room. There should be no drafts or dampness in the house. For floor insulation in winter, use foam, straw or hay.
Pros of the breed
The Indian Runner breed is ideal for keeping at home. Birds are resistant to all sorts of diseases, they are not afraid of cold and snow. They make little noise, troubled behavior is observed only if the birds are afraid of something.
In addition, Indian runners do not have an urgent need for a reservoir nearby. No, they swim willingly, and their personal hygiene depends on regular bathing, but they have enough of a bowl of water with their heads, this does not affect the health of the pets.