In the lush realms of Southeast Asia, the noble Runner ducks were originally crafted for their bountiful egg offerings and nimble grace. Echoes of their ancient lineage whisper through time, captured in stone tales from Java’s mystical lands, aged over two millennia. As shadows dance with the past, these wondrous ducks continue their ageless dance, guided by ancient wisdom. Each dawn, they roam fields in orchestrated ballets, feasting on nature’s offerings of rice remnants, weed seeds, and tiny creatures. Nightfall finds them nestled in bamboo sanctuaries, where they gift the world with eggs before embarking on their cleansing journeys once more. Across their fleeting existences, these avian wanderers traverse vast distances, embodying the essence of resilience and adaptability. Behold, in the Runner, a beacon of foraging prowess unmatched by any other duck kind.

Why are they called Indian Runners? Tradition has it the ducks were first imported into England in the 1850s and were named Indians as the ship had proceeded from India and had traded with the “Indies”. It wasn’t until 1909 that the importing family acknowledged that they came from Southeast Asia – not India. But by then the name had stuck and the breed was extremely popular throughout the country. Until the Khaki Campbell was bred, Runners were by far the most productive egg laying ducks. Prior to the turn of the century there were many egg trials in England where representatives of different breeds and farmers were put on a common site and their egg production monitored and compared.

The first Runners imported into England were either Fawn, Fawn-and-White, or White in color. The first records of them being in an exhibition were in 1877 at the Dumfries Show in Scotland. In 1898 they were admitted into the American Standard Registry. The Black, Blue and Chocolate were not admitted until 1977. Though the Black and Chocolate breed true, the Blue do not as only 50% of their progeny are Blue. So that we produce 100% Blue colored birds, we have two pens of breeders. One pen has Black Runner males on Silver females. The other pen has Silver males on Black females.

Runner Ducks are like the MVPs of foraging and egg-laying! Having a flock of these quirky ducks not only brings you fresh eggs but also turns your yard into a hilarious entertaining time of watching penguin-like bowling pins forage around the yard. The Indian runner duck are very versatile in their diets. Lucky for the average gardener, runner ducks eat a variety of harmful bugs. They eat mosquitos and their larvae, flies, slugs, snails, and particularly enjoy ticks.

However you crack it, duck eggs are like little powerhouses of nutrition! With their sunny-side-up golden yolks boasting extra antioxidants, omega-3s, and a whopping 50% more vitamin A than their chicken counterparts, these eggs are the real MVPs. Plus, they pack a protein punch that even takes their larger size into account. Eggs come in a range of hues, from pearly whites to dreamy blue-greens, depending on the feathered friends laying them. In the world of Black Runners (including Chocolate), you might spot some eggs with a quirky ‘sooty’ look at the start of the egg-laying season. But fear not, as the later eggs can be as pristine white as any other Runner’s eggs.

Burns Feed Store has a variety of Runner ducklings throughout our chick season! You can check out our Chick Schedule at www.BurnsFeed.com or give us a call at 503-663-3246!