I have runner ducks and also rehab wild ducks and orphaned ducklings to release back into the wild. My guess is your Runners have a GI parasite. They can look OK the night before and be dead in the morning. I have learned that they start to look a little "ratty" with ruffled feathers and are not eating as much food. They also sit down more frequently as they are weak. It hits the ducklings around 4-6 weeks of age it seems to me. I suggest you take a fecal sample into a vet which could shed some light. I have successfully treated wild ducklings for Giardia and Leptosporosis. My Runners have not had an issue, Thank goodness. Your little Fawn duck in the back looks wobbly and sitting down often. She is likely sick also. Good luck ! I have watched your channel for a while now since you had about 40K subscribers. I love your channel and your zest for life.
Didn't know that ducks could get giardia, too. One of my cats brought it in when I got him. It was so annoying to get rid of. Both cats had awful diarrhea and we had to clean and sterilize everything for days. And we also weren't allowed to snuggle them as it can be transferred to humans. If it really is giardia he definitely needs to keep the ducks separated until they're fully recovered. Really hope he'll be able to save the rest of them.
Giardia Spores from cats or dogs can last for years in the dirt and reactivate with water.... ducks love to dabble in mud puddles. Young stressed ducks are more susceptible. If had to guess, it is likely Leptosporosis (spirochete bacteria) that is found in Rat urine. If they can get into the enclosure they can contaminate the food. A vet can see in a fecal sample if there are microbes that can be fatal to younger ducks.
I'm a senior who is housebound. You tube opens the world to me. I watch a lot of homestead channels and Murray McMurray is a top breeder. I hope you call them to see what they have to say. Brainstorming with them may help. (if you haven't called them already). I hope you resolve the problem, because I am really enjoying watching them run and the funny balancing act as they do it. Good luck. 💖
Hi..I'm senior sticking close to home. Love this channel also. And, the runner ducks. I was watching Ceasar Milone..the dog trainer..on NatGeo show...and he had 2 ducks to train a dog not to chase. When he let them loose..they were runners. So funny I knew a breed of duck...keep on learning. Lol
Me too I just love these posts! Following Morgan, Justin and the Living Traditions Kevin and Sarah. I’ve got a pot on my balcony with Sunflowers-and potatoes! And a hespnof little birds and a very noisy crow!
Kathy, I’m glad I read your post. You seem very helpful and nice. Thanks for posting. I’m changing my wife’s breaks now……just took a break. Back to work…..back to winning. All the best to ya!
@@Joaquinek I knew this would happen and left my comment about Mcmurray not long after when the video was up the day they came home. I was looking at Mcmurray reviews about 2 months ago before he posted his video and when he said where they came from, I knew it wouldn't go well. Their buyers are leaving reviews of their babies from them dying in a few hours. Something is wrong with their stock, considering he has raised so much of his own fowl already!
If you have never had mortality rate like this, then the likelihood is it isn't you. As you brought them in the likelihood is it is something in the breeding. Could be inbreeding, as this causes lots of young deaths. Inbreeding (something we struggle against with a small flock) causes all sorts of issues, particularly in young. The difficulty in buying in ducklings/chicks is you never quite know what their history is, so don't blame yourself for what is not your fault. Easier said then done so big hugs.
Yeah, either that or some kind of parasite, though if inbreeding is the issue then that means that Morgan really shouldn't breed out the runners for multiple reasons
Exactly - and this makes me really worried about introducing their genes into the flock. Seems like they're gonna be a downgrade rather than an upgrade. But who knows, maybe the genetic mixing will help & the newbies will be greater than the sum of their parents. Good luck Morgan!
I agree a couple important issues are brought up here. And a very important question is do you allow them to integrate with the rest of the flocks, and do you allow breeding. Which you cannot really control if they’re living with the rest. To me this flock has been very sickly and weak right from the beginning. I believe there is foul play a foot. I think getting necropsy done is really extremely important because you do not want this to effect the rest of the birds.
Hmmm. Sorry about the troubles with the runner ducks. Maybe its genetic issues or the stress of transit early in their lives. Maybe try to get future runner ducks from a different source closer to your farm or start with eggs.
That is just what I thought, Morgan also mentioned some deaths in a previous batch. If it was me, I'd be looking at buying eggs next time and maybe putting fewer eggs to incubate. I've noticed a larger percentage of successful hatching when there are fewer eggs in the incubator. If not that, then a handful of adult ducks to start your runner flock.
@@rct3nut74 Yes, I wonder whether the breed is related to one where the animal is expected to grow like mad in a factory farm with a special fodder, but here it's left to free feed and free run with normal fodder. It has been possibly put outside the conditions that it was bred for. Not all quacken are hatched equal, so to speak. Perhaps small homestead farms should be swapping ducklings.
Morgan, the fact that you are feeling this way is one reason why I love you and your channel. You ABSOLUTELY LOVE each and every animal on your farm and around it. I understand that you would feel this was you but I am pretty sure it is not. Saying that will not give you comfort though. I hope that you can get answers. Every day you learn and grow and on top of that, you share it with us. I cannot even start to tell you how much the city-born girl has learned from you. Luv and Hugs sent to you & your lovely wife (who makes me day every time i see her with one of the animals- her eyes sparkle.) Toby, Pablo, ginny, molly, Lil barn hourse cat, ducks, weird chickens, chickens, and ducks et al from Regina Saskatchewan Canada.
Makes me think of Japan's attempts at farming bluefin tuna. They are so skittish that they'd just die if someone turned on a light too quickly. It took several years for the ocean farmers to figure out how to keep them calm enough around the clock that they didn't die off from stress.
Hi Morgan, sorry to hear about the duckling loss. I've been involved in animal keeping all my life and in every species/breed etc, there have been losses. You put them to bed and next morning they're gone. No signs no symptoms and it's worrying. There's an old saying "where there's livestock, there's dead stock". It's upsetting, but I stopped beating myself up about it years ago. There's no avoiding it and you just have to accept the loss and carry on. You do a magnificent job of looking after your animals, so don't blame yourself, it's just a part of keeping livestock. All the best .
Can’t imagine how happy i am when coming home after all day at work, just eating my meal and watching a new episode of gold shaw farm! And that’s the only channel i’m watching regularly! Have a great day! Sad stories lately tho.
I had runner ducks a few years ago and with my little ones i had the same problem So i asked my vet and they had a tapeworm so we treated it After that no losses Sorry for my bad english Greatings from Germany
We have had runners. I don’t see that you are doing anything wrong. I’d keep the hatchery updated. Something just isn’t right. You shouldn’t still be having losses.
There is a school of thought with runners, they need to run to develop properly. If they don't when they're young, it's thought that their cardiac systems don't develop enough to sustain it when they do start covering ground. If there's an illness happening.. a little ACV in the water won't hurt anybody and has been known to fix a lot of issues.
@@jasminecollins897 did you look at the floor inside the coop ? No fresh straw/wood chips. they walk around in the poop laden soil and dig their beaks by habit too.
I’m no farmer, much less a poultry expert, but I wonder if it would be helpful to weigh your runner ducklings and compare them with the expected weight at their age. If there is some kind of hidden infection or intestinal parasite, that would likely reduce their weight. And speaking of intestinal parasites, has that been tested for? I feel embarrassed to be making suggestions to someone so much more knowledgeable in duck care, but I can’t seem to help myself. They’re such endearing little birds.
You are already thinking like a good future duck owner though in case you ever get the opportunity to try raising some. We have really enjoyed raising blue swedish so far.
As a herding dog "trainer for 50+ years, (Especially working Border Collies), I've bought and raised LOTS Indian Runner and Runner & Khaki Campbell crosses--the pure I.R.'s tend to be weaker when born from the perfect breeding / hatching situation. Many large farms, are specializing in breeding Ducks so much that they're breeding situation is almost too perfect and sterile. It's quiet, it's calm, there's no stress, there's no noise or movement, so much so that the results for the ducklings is sort of like Duck "heaven"! When they get out on a farm, they tend to be easily stressed, easily tired, not good at competing with larger numbers of animals for feed, and not walking enough to make their bones strong, which is really what Runners have to do! Since we often use our ducks in herding demonstrations with the dogs, or to work with more timid or especially young animals being introduced to livestock, we tend to look for replacement ducklings from other working Farms especially for the Indian Runners! Seems coming from a working background helps assure the ducklings, are generally stronger in Constitution and have better attitude in life. The the Khaki Campbell's tend to be much stronger, and I think have a little bit better quality egg production. Crossing Runners with mallards, which is actually the original cross to produce the Khaki Campbells, really assures having stronger individuals in a more fragile type animal. All the best in your Pursuits, been enjoying watching your progression!!!
I wonder if maybe them being so nervous and crowding each other may have smothered the one that died. Also, I had a thought about a baby duck of mine that died recently when it got stuck between the wall and the heat plate. Just check around to make sure there isn't some spot they can get stuck and die.
We all get saddened by your loss. It is even more sad for you because you care more then most farmers and work soooo hard to ensure you are taking the best care of every single soul. Please ease up on yourself. You are doing your BEST!! Go to your happy place, say a prayer.. then move on. Have a better half of your day!
You can always do a necropsy? A local vet may be able to perform on the runner ducks? Forgot to add, if you go this route, do not freeze the body. Keep in fridge
I noticed that when you change their water, you don't clean the water bowl and you just fill the bowl back up with remaining poopy water inside. I noticed in all your videos that their water is still brown after changing it. I know they will just get dirty again, but the more time you go without cleaning them, the more time you give bacteria to grow. You must clean the bowls thoroughly with a hose until clear at least once every other day to keep bacteria and mildew from developing.
You've lost a lot of ducklings from this batch. They all came from the same place, I would call that place. Maybe there's a way that you can find out if other people that bought hatchlings from the same place have had the same issue?
You might want to scrub and disinfect their watering bowls and feeding dishes. Watering bowls and feeders look like a build up food and mildew. Might not be a cause, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to disinfect and clean more frequently.
By how quickly you are losing those runner ducks it seems like they have an illness. Just in case it isn’t make sure they aren’t crushing each other with those huddles, they could be suffocating each other too. Or maybe they are doing both, like one may have an illness but it makes them want to lay down and then they get crushed in a duck huddle.
Sorry to hear about this. I know you have to in a sense, keep things moving and you still have a whole farm to take care of and animals that depend on you, but it never takes away the sting to someone who cares for animals. I have no doubt with a little time you'll have the issue sorted out or at least know what is happening to prevent it in the future.
My two cents: Based on her position in the brooder I think all of the ducks got panicked at a loud sound and they piled together too hard and crushed her. They seem VERY panicky, which might also be playing a larger role in their high mortality rate than we know. IE heart defects. Hopefully the remaining babies prove healthier.
I also worried in general about how high anxiety these little guys are, and if they'll ever be able to integrate with the everyone else due to how easily stressed they are. Corralling them inside might be present challenges, too. I hope their skittish nature fades with a bit more age...
Thanks for the Sat. vid, sorry about the loss of your Runners. Lots of fails in farming. My worry is maybe that flock has something that could spread to the other birds.
Very sorry about the runner duck. That's gotta be tough. You have a great track record of getting to the bottom of things and finding solutions and I believe in you. Your caring, thoughtful and compassionate approach provides your farm family with great lives. Way to carry on, Farmer Gold.
Hi..... Morgan nice to see you love watching your videos beautiful Duck. Today my teeth is paining I can't watch properly your video homestead, thank you for showing your video homestead chicken Duck Goose farmer garden 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 👕🐔🐓🐥🐩🐈🌱🏡🎥👍👍👍
From what I've looked into, the problem seems to be that runner ducks compete for food to a much higher degree than other ducks, leading to malnutrition in the losers. Specifically the only thing you could have done differently is split the runner ducks into two flocks when you got them. Smaller duckling flocks will have a higher survival rate.
Hey Sweetie I think you should keep the ducklings on the crumbles for alot longer as it has wormer in the feed and antibiotics for good growing and also i would try and get one tested for disease and you may have something going on there as well,good luck your not doing anything wrong 😑🤗
I’ve raised a quite a few runner ducklings before. I haven’t raised a ton(8 from ducklings, 9 from hatching), however, I might be able to help. One important thing to remember is that Runner Ducklings are the most fragile thing in the world. They’re both genetically and mentally flawed. Now, the genetic flaws mostly occur in the HATCHING process not from raising, but you might have to reconsider releasing the mini-quacken. While you’re great at raising normal ducklings, Runner Ducklings are idiots. It’s not guaranteed that they know how to get back into their brooder-especially when you’re releasing them the way you are- it’s not an age thing, but I’d recommend watching them to ensure they can actually get into the brooder, spending a bit of time herding them back into the brooder, and maybe making some steps for them. If it’s true that they cannot get back into the brooder to reheat, know that it’s not your fault. You would’ve had no way of knowing, Runner Ducks are notorious for being afraid of everything, so their running into the wall instead of the brooder can appear to be just the quirky ducklings being quirky. Another thing I’ve noticed in the comments is that some are recommending that you hatch some. I’d recommend against it. Unless you’re prepared to get out your egg surgeon skills, your hatch rate will be abysmally. I mentioned earlier that Runner Ducks are genetically flawed, that’s because -with how they form in the egg- it’s all to common for their necks to be facing the top of the egg instead of their beak. This makes it incredibly difficult for them to hatch naturally. Making them a very difficult species of duck to hatch.
Are runner ducks a naturally occurring species or were they bred by humans? All of these flaws sound like they are some weird 'created" breed that wouldn't be able to survive in nature, like e.g. some of the dog and cat breeds that aren't even able to breathe properly or have too short legs.
@@jessicas253 Absolutely, while he highlighted their ability to eat pests, they were mostly bred for their egg production. One adult hen will lay 200-300 eggs a year depending on the strain. The pest eating ability is likely consequence to said ability, as it allows for the mass production of runner ducks. In fact, the breed has been so modified by humans that we’ve almost completely bred out their maternal instincts, and -even in the event that they do get broody- they will typically abandon the nest after a set period of time or -in the rare event one is hatched naturally- the mother hen will often forget that their ducklings are theirs. Thus, they’ve been almost completely kept alive through artificial incubation or -if you want to have some hatched naturally- through surrogate mothers from other species.
@@totalbuep Wow. Thanks for the information. This makes me really sad. In my personal opinion, overbred species like these shouldn't be supported. That's why I'd never get one of them and would always try to stick with naturally occurring ones. Especially if they were only bred for financial benefits. This isn't ethical farming at all.
That is so odd… we got runner ducks and they were sooo hardy ( and also the most docile ). I am really sorry about what keep happening with your duckies! :(🙃
If you are looking for a better gene situation if that’s what it could be check out my pet chicken that’s where we got ours. I am really sorry about that.:(
I really don’t want you to think that runner ducks are a bad breed becouse they are my personal favorite and they are my most hardy ducks we have and the sweetest…
Sorry to hear about your runners Morgan,. Anyone who watches you on a regular basis will know that you are doing your best. The only thing I'd wish you'd do is throw a couple of 4x2 lengths of wood under the duck ramp to give it a bit more support. That sag has gotten pretty bad, most of the poor old Quacken looked like they faceplanted on it this morning.
Maybe the runner ducklings came to you sickly Morgan. Maybe where they came from is having issues. I would take the deceased duck to a vet. Maybe they can tell you what's going on. I am far from a farmer but maybe the vet can shed some light for you! Just a thought! Good luck ....
It always sucks to lose any animal, even more so when its young. Hopefully the wisdom of the experienced viewers will help you find the answers you need. One question, since you're raising ducks for eggs, any chance you'll get some hookbill ducks? They were popular for their eggs, and became rare because people switched to chicken eggs. They are making a comeback now. I love watching your channel, it's a highlight of my day.
Becoming comfortable with performing autopsies is one of those essential skills that people don’t consider. If you want to prevent failures in the future it’s just necessary to understand what went wrong. I’ve autopsied all of mine to try to understand why something happened and how. Even the ones who died from predator attacks. How come this one survived and this one wasn’t even touched did die… all of that. Understanding these things keeps your feet in the science and biology aspect but doesn’t prevent any of the love and compassion and empathy. Always hold onto both. Super proud of you, Morgan. Keep fighting to understand.
This year has been absolutely AWFUL for runners. We hatch them from eggs & haven't had a successful hatch yet this year. The last batch something went wrong right before hatching. They were fully formed but still had the placenta. We are giving it 1 more try & are 10 days in. We are not having a problem with hatching chickens or raising them though lol Last year hatching the runners was a little rough but we only lost a few eggs as I helped those that were starting to peep if they got stuck. Then we didn't lose any while raising them. They are very sensitive & harder to hatch/raise. I keep my runners on starter food just a little longer before I switch them up! It seems to help.
I've had a muscovy population explosion this summer. Even had a chicken brood five muscovy eggs to hatch. I've had 0 runner ducks hatch. They're both separated because I don't want ninnies. But yeah, something is up. Of the runners, I have had a few eggs go bad with runner fetuses fully formed and died. Not sure if it's the heat this summer or what, since it's my first summer with runners, but they've been laying since February.
Odd, I've actually had a pretty good year with my runners. Out of my first hatch of nine, I ended up losing three within the first week or two. One was a stargazer and I was unable to correct the issue, while the other two I'm not sure of the cause (though it could have been related to temps as they were being brooded by a chicken and it was earlier in the year) The remaining six however, are still alive and well and are very healthy and robust. My second hatch resulted in fifteen, and I only lost one within the first couple of days. The rest all did great. I've sold some of them along the way, but they were all robust and healthy when I sold them, and the ones I still have are all still very robust and healthy as well.
I just lost one of my Runner ducks. I have 3 Perkins and had two runners. I just broke me that it died. I didn't even know if it was a drake or not so we didn't have a name. So I can some what relate with the title. Hopefully the rest of your ducks stay healthy and safe. And hope your doing well.
Off grid with Doug and Stacy have had runner ducks longer than anybody I know. Maybe you can talk to Stacy and she can help you. Or have you already tried? They look like they may need a higher protein. Bless the ducks
I'd try some vitamin supplements....possibly lacking some type of vitamin(s). I appreciate your videos...my Dadalways made sure I had ducks since I was 3 yrs. old...he raised chickens 4 eggs and meat...my duckswere 4 eggs and pets. Even though my Dad is now gone, I kept up the legacy of ducks...I currently have 16...18 in the winter 'cause I board 2 other of a some friends. Really enjoy your videos...great stories! Way 2 go Toby...keep up the great work!!
Hi Morgan, I am so sorry to hear that your new flock additions have been passing so suddenly. Have you looked into a disease called Duck Viral Enteritis? It is a highly contagious disease that can affect ducks, geese, and swans. I've read through some of the other comments and agree that you should try to contact the seller whom you purchased the runner ducks from to check to see if there are any reports of high mortality rates from other buyers or from the supplier. I hope that you can get to the bottom of this mystery soon.
I can see you're gonna have some reading on your hands with this vid. The additions I would make to others comments. I guess just talk with the seller a bit, see if they have issues with the other chicks from other clutchs. Otherwise, I think this is just unlucky. The one little duck looks a bit sick in the pack. But you have the experience of past years, plus I think you've mentioned vets around. Believe in yourself to do the right thing, as most of us watching do. Keep 'er goin' Morgan, and best of luck with these cuties.
maybe a stress issue? Some birds get stress issues even from sudden environment, temperature changes. Hope no more die on you doubt your at fault keep it up.
I have been breeding runner ducks for 5 years now, they're pretty stressed most of the time. I've had the chicks trampling each other to death because they're all hiding in a corner out of fear.
Hey Morgan, don't blame yourself for the runner ducklings I've never had feathery babies myself and I don't have veterinary qualifications but I think it could be down to bad genetics from the place that was breeding them. You and your wife do the absolute best in everything you do for your animals 😊💖
Morgan, I really, really,really hope you get a necropsy done. It’s vital to protect your other birds. Edit: he said that HE DID A NECROPSY. He did NOT say he was sending it away. Which he really should.
I raise birds. Ducks, chickens, peafowl, ect. They are not good with mold. I see you have them on wood chips which can mold quickly. I would move them somewhere else and decontaminate the enclosure after taking the old chips out with a mixture of bleach and water, like a couple of table spoons to a gallon. Then give them fresh hay to bed down in, I avoid wood chips with birds because it seems to mold fast. Avoid moldy bedding by removing old bedding.
I see some interesting comments below and thought I'd help. Pumpjack Piddlewick's comments might be on to something. I've got runner ducks. I've tried a few strains. They work well and do good. So this problem won't last. You'll get through it. Just hang in there. But I think you need to find a strain that doesn't have troubled genes or whatever. I've had a few batches of ducklings that were all sickly and some that were half sick, both with mortality issues. And I've had some with no issues. Among both types were runners. Once you get through the sick ones being weeded out, I've now gotten the rest to work out and look and be healthy growing. I think what's left will have stronger survivorship traits. And I think that might be useful for you also. It does seem that what made it through is pretty sturdy now from what I lost and now I'm promoting those genetics. I think you also will be able to really harness and promote the sturdier survivorship genetics now also. Of the ones that got sick, I was initially very stressed out about it, but then I came to the conclusion that some farms have something going on were the ducklings they shipped out weren't good batches. I came to that conclusion where on one batch that I'd gotten all of them died despite having tried every trick out there possible to keep them alive. I even tried some tricks that most people never know about and still they didn't do well. So yeah... its not you. Sometimes there's something going on with weak batches. But if you can get past it runners are still very good ducks once you lose the weaker gened ones or whatever it is. I've also had a couple that are good mothers also; its a lie that they can't have good mothering traits.
Oh, man, I am so sorry. We have a farm locally that has runner ducks and they seem to be doing fine, so that makes me think that maybe the stock you purchased is the problem. I hope you are able to get it sorted. You love your runner ducks and you shouldn't have to deal with this.
I have to admit that I am surprised. All the hatching ducks (and chickens) I've seen posted, these looked like they were posted with a water and food cup. Which I was chuffed about, normally I hate posting live hatchlings, even though on a few occasions, I've ordered through my local farm shop. But have collected at 9am, to minimise the length of time in the stress box!
Ducks and geese can pile up on each other during the night suffocating the one on the bottom. What helped me was a 12v led light hooked up to a gel battery. Now especially when they have an illness or infection they are afraid so some light will help. Preferably gel battery's which you can recharge every day.
Oh! Haha! I have 29 chickens oh right but those checks you have Are so cute! If you don't Want any brids to Escape you should Bay some strange and Attach it to the latch on the door and then pull The strange on the inside
I know in the last livestream people were talking about bad reviews from the runner duck provider. You did all you could right- and did your part in communicating well with the site. Sometimes research still doesn't reveal something until it's too late. It's sad, but not your fault.
Hey Morgan this sucks mate but don't take it personally, I think your doing a grand job of ensuring their well-being is tended to, I really don't think it's something you are doing. We had a similar situation years ago but with Rabbits (not meat just pets) sometimes there are genetic strains that just don't do well and it's heartbreaking, but no matter what you do it doesn't change the outcome! Keep your head up fella hopefully the remaining lot will be fine.
I have runner ducks and also rehab wild ducks and orphaned ducklings to release back into the wild. My guess is your Runners have a GI parasite. They can look OK the night before and be dead in the morning. I have learned that they start to look a little "ratty" with ruffled feathers and are not eating as much food. They also sit down more frequently as they are weak. It hits the ducklings around 4-6 weeks of age it seems to me. I suggest you take a fecal sample into a vet which could shed some light. I have successfully treated wild ducklings for Giardia and Leptosporosis. My Runners have not had an issue, Thank goodness. Your little Fawn duck in the back looks wobbly and sitting down often. She is likely sick also. Good luck ! I have watched your channel for a while now since you had about 40K subscribers. I love your channel and your zest for life.
Didn't know that ducks could get giardia, too. One of my cats brought it in when I got him. It was so annoying to get rid of. Both cats had awful diarrhea and we had to clean and sterilize everything for days. And we also weren't allowed to snuggle them as it can be transferred to humans. If it really is giardia he definitely needs to keep the ducks separated until they're fully recovered. Really hope he'll be able to save the rest of them.
Hope he sees this
Grapefruit seed extract in their water could help with unwanted microbes preventing nutrition uptake as well.
Adding a comment in the hopes it helps Morgan see this thread.
Giardia Spores from cats or dogs can last for years in the dirt and reactivate with water.... ducks love to dabble in mud puddles. Young stressed ducks are more susceptible. If had to guess, it is likely Leptosporosis (spirochete bacteria) that is found in Rat urine. If they can get into the enclosure they can contaminate the food. A vet can see in a fecal sample if there are microbes that can be fatal to younger ducks.
I'm a senior who is housebound. You tube opens the world to me. I watch a lot of homestead channels and Murray McMurray is a top breeder. I hope you call them to see what they have to say. Brainstorming with them may help. (if you haven't called them already). I hope you resolve the problem, because I am really enjoying watching them run and the funny balancing act as they do it. Good luck. 💖
Hi..I'm senior sticking close to home. Love this channel also. And, the runner ducks. I was watching Ceasar Milone..the dog trainer..on NatGeo show...and he had 2 ducks to train a dog not to chase. When he let them loose..they were runners. So funny I knew a breed of duck...keep on learning. Lol
Me too I just love these posts! Following Morgan, Justin and the Living Traditions Kevin and Sarah. I’ve got a pot on my balcony with Sunflowers-and potatoes! And a hespnof little birds and a very noisy crow!
Kathy, I’m glad I read your post. You seem very helpful and nice. Thanks for posting. I’m changing my wife’s breaks now……just took a break. Back to work…..back to winning. All the best to ya!
“A heap”🙄💨
@@Joaquinek I knew this would happen and left my comment about Mcmurray not long after when the video was up the day they came home. I was looking at Mcmurray reviews about 2 months ago before he posted his video and when he said where they came from, I knew it wouldn't go well. Their buyers are leaving reviews of their babies from them dying in a few hours. Something is wrong with their stock, considering he has raised so much of his own fowl already!
If you have never had mortality rate like this, then the likelihood is it isn't you. As you brought them in the likelihood is it is something in the breeding. Could be inbreeding, as this causes lots of young deaths. Inbreeding (something we struggle against with a small flock) causes all sorts of issues, particularly in young. The difficulty in buying in ducklings/chicks is you never quite know what their history is, so don't blame yourself for what is not your fault. Easier said then done so big hugs.
I don't raise birds, but I would have to agree...it's the ducks and/or breeding. Nothing that Morgan has, or hasn't done.
Yeah, either that or some kind of parasite, though if inbreeding is the issue then that means that Morgan really shouldn't breed out the runners for multiple reasons
Exactly - and this makes me really worried about introducing their genes into the flock. Seems like they're gonna be a downgrade rather than an upgrade. But who knows, maybe the genetic mixing will help & the newbies will be greater than the sum of their parents. Good luck Morgan!
I agree a couple important issues are brought up here. And a very important question is do you allow them to integrate with the rest of the flocks, and do you allow breeding. Which you cannot really control if they’re living with the rest. To me this flock has been very sickly and weak right from the beginning. I believe there is foul play a foot. I think getting necropsy done is really extremely important because you do not want this to effect the rest of the birds.
This was my first thought, too. I hope they are able to find the answer
Its funny seeing how careful old Jemima is when leaving the house, high time you fix the ramp to help an old gal like her out
Hmmm. Sorry about the troubles with the runner ducks. Maybe its genetic issues or the stress of transit early in their lives. Maybe try to get future runner ducks from a different source closer to your farm or start with eggs.
I was thinking the same thing, it's gotta be bad genes.
I think that's the issue. I have all 9 I got from my hatchery.
That is just what I thought, Morgan also mentioned some deaths in a previous batch. If it was me, I'd be looking at buying eggs next time and maybe putting fewer eggs to incubate. I've noticed a larger percentage of successful hatching when there are fewer eggs in the incubator. If not that, then a handful of adult ducks to start your runner flock.
@@rct3nut74 Yes, I wonder whether the breed is related to one where the animal is expected to grow like mad in a factory farm with a special fodder, but here it's left to free feed and free run with normal fodder. It has been possibly put outside the conditions that it was bred for. Not all quacken are hatched equal, so to speak. Perhaps small homestead farms should be swapping ducklings.
how do his runner ducks sleep btw? because in rare occasions, some could pile ontop of each other , accidentaly smothering aa duck
I watched her the whole time you were filming the runner ducks. She stumbled and sat often.
That fawn to right of pile???? Me too - she’s getting pushed out by others, which signifies something. Awww.
Agree, I noticed the same
Yeah, I saw that too.
One looks like it is on its last legs.
They may be fighting for food too much. The smaller/weaker ones being pushed out.
Morgan, the fact that you are feeling this way is one reason why I love you and your channel. You ABSOLUTELY LOVE each and every animal on your farm and around it. I understand that you would feel this was you but I am pretty sure it is not. Saying that will not give you comfort though. I hope that you can get answers. Every day you learn and grow and on top of that, you share it with us. I cannot even start to tell you how much the city-born girl has learned from you. Luv and Hugs sent to you & your lovely wife (who makes me day every time i see her with one of the animals- her eyes sparkle.) Toby, Pablo, ginny, molly, Lil barn hourse cat, ducks, weird chickens, chickens, and ducks et al from Regina Saskatchewan Canada.
Makes me think of Japan's attempts at farming bluefin tuna. They are so skittish that they'd just die if someone turned on a light too quickly. It took several years for the ocean farmers to figure out how to keep them calm enough around the clock that they didn't die off from stress.
I love how Ms Carmen gets room service and butler care.
Hi Morgan, sorry to hear about the duckling loss. I've been involved in animal keeping all my life and in every species/breed etc, there have been losses. You put them to bed and next morning they're gone. No signs no symptoms and it's worrying. There's an old saying "where there's livestock, there's dead stock". It's upsetting, but I stopped beating myself up about it years ago. There's no avoiding it and you just have to accept the loss and carry on. You do a magnificent job of looking after your animals, so don't blame yourself, it's just a part of keeping livestock. All the best .
I always feel like I'm watching a Disney film. The music and excellent picture quality is awesome.
Yeah, and it has way better narrative than disney
Hmm could this be why I love these videos so much?🌿🌸
Free of the propaganda of a Disney production though so it's way better.
Can’t imagine how happy i am when coming home after all day at work, just eating my meal and watching a new episode of gold shaw farm! And that’s the only channel i’m watching regularly! Have a great day! Sad stories lately tho.
I had runner ducks a few years ago and with my little ones i had the same problem
So i asked my vet and they had a tapeworm so we treated it
After that no losses
Sorry for my bad english
Greatings from Germany
We have had runners. I don’t see that you are doing anything wrong. I’d keep the hatchery updated. Something just isn’t right. You shouldn’t still be having losses.
best guess i've seen is maybe stress, these ducklings have been pretty high strung
Seems like they should be compensating you for these losses because at this point, this is clearly not on you.
Could be temp issues. Could be stress. Could be lots of things. Could be a Anatipestifer infection too.
@@TsunauticusIV He left them the heating plates just in case, so Temp is unlikely to be the issue.
@@prcervi runners are super skitish, I don't think his are more skitish than mine.
There is a school of thought with runners, they need to run to develop properly. If they don't when they're young, it's thought that their cardiac systems don't develop enough to sustain it when they do start covering ground.
If there's an illness happening.. a little ACV in the water won't hurt anybody and has been known to fix a lot of issues.
the floor of the coop seems to have no fresh bedding . And they need fresh water to bath daily to keep their beaks healthy and clean
@@davelawson2564 he gives them fresh water every day. Open containers of water inside the coop is just a recipe for mud and illness.
@@jasminecollins897 did you look at the floor inside the coop ? No fresh straw/wood chips. they walk around in the poop laden soil and dig their beaks by habit too.
Sorry, stupid question… ACV? What is that?
@@doloresreynolds8145
Apple Cider Vinegar
Could you set up a low-light camera in the runner ducks' shed? Maybe that would help?
I’m no farmer, much less a poultry expert, but I wonder if it would be helpful to weigh your runner ducklings and compare them with the expected weight at their age. If there is some kind of hidden infection or intestinal parasite, that would likely reduce their weight. And speaking of intestinal parasites, has that been tested for? I feel embarrassed to be making suggestions to someone so much more knowledgeable in duck care, but I can’t seem to help myself. They’re such endearing little birds.
You are already thinking like a good future duck owner though in case you ever get the opportunity to try raising some. We have really enjoyed raising blue swedish so far.
I love Toby dog he is so good and well behaved
As a herding dog "trainer for 50+ years, (Especially working Border Collies), I've bought and raised LOTS Indian Runner and Runner & Khaki Campbell crosses--the pure I.R.'s tend to be weaker when born from the perfect breeding / hatching situation. Many large farms, are specializing in breeding Ducks so much that they're breeding situation is almost too perfect and sterile.
It's quiet, it's calm, there's no stress, there's no noise or movement, so much so that the results for the ducklings is sort of like Duck "heaven"! When they get out on a farm, they tend to be easily stressed, easily tired, not good at competing with larger numbers of animals for feed, and not walking enough to make their bones strong, which is really what Runners have to do!
Since we often use our ducks in herding demonstrations with the dogs, or to work with more timid or especially young animals being introduced to livestock, we tend to look for replacement ducklings from other working Farms especially for the Indian Runners! Seems coming from a working background helps assure the ducklings, are generally stronger in Constitution and have better attitude in life.
The the Khaki Campbell's tend to be much stronger, and I think have a little bit better quality egg production. Crossing Runners with mallards, which is actually the original cross to produce the Khaki Campbells, really assures having stronger individuals in a more fragile type animal. All the best in your Pursuits, been enjoying watching your progression!!!
Thanks for the insight! It totally makes sense.
Your farm helps my depression. Ty.
I wonder if maybe them being so nervous and crowding each other may have smothered the one that died. Also, I had a thought about a baby duck of mine that died recently when it got stuck between the wall and the heat plate. Just check around to make sure there isn't some spot they can get stuck and die.
That's my thought too. The runner ducks were constantly on top of each other.
Awe I’m sorry about the ducklings. However,that mom duck posse is pretty cool to watch in action.
We all get saddened by your loss. It is even more sad for you because you care more then most farmers and work soooo hard to ensure you are taking the best care of every single soul. Please ease up on yourself. You are doing your BEST!! Go to your happy place, say a prayer.. then move on. Have a better half of your day!
Oh my gosh I thought Toby was sick and I realized he was shaved.
I must’ve missed that one! 😂
I imagine it is sad and distressing, Morgan. Keep at it, you're doing a good job.
Im so sorry hon. Wow im Learning so much from you. Praying for the rest of the farm.
You can always do a necropsy? A local vet may be able to perform on the runner ducks?
Forgot to add, if you go this route, do not freeze the body. Keep in fridge
I noticed that when you change their water, you don't clean the water bowl and you just fill the bowl back up with remaining poopy water inside. I noticed in all your videos that their water is still brown after changing it. I know they will just get dirty again, but the more time you go without cleaning them, the more time you give bacteria to grow. You must clean the bowls thoroughly with a hose until clear at least once every other day to keep bacteria and mildew from developing.
Don't know mutch about this, so can't relly help you, but know Morgan, we support you and pray for your farms health!
You've lost a lot of ducklings from this batch. They all came from the same place, I would call that place. Maybe there's a way that you can find out if other people that bought hatchlings from the same place have had the same issue?
You might want to scrub and disinfect their watering bowls and feeding dishes. Watering bowls and feeders look like a build up food and mildew.
Might not be a cause, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to disinfect and clean more frequently.
I agree
By how quickly you are losing those runner ducks it seems like they have an illness. Just in case it isn’t make sure they aren’t crushing each other with those huddles, they could be suffocating each other too. Or maybe they are doing both, like one may have an illness but it makes them want to lay down and then they get crushed in a duck huddle.
❤️
You rock. I live in a townhouse, but I can't imagine a Sunday without your news from your farm. Hug your animals for me, please.
Sorry to hear about this. I know you have to in a sense, keep things moving and you still have a whole farm to take care of and animals that depend on you, but it never takes away the sting to someone who cares for animals. I have no doubt with a little time you'll have the issue sorted out or at least know what is happening to prevent it in the future.
My two cents:
Based on her position in the brooder I think all of the ducks got panicked at a loud sound and they piled together too hard and crushed her. They seem VERY panicky, which might also be playing a larger role in their high mortality rate than we know. IE heart defects. Hopefully the remaining babies prove healthier.
@Cassi Lyris exactly what I thought too.
Yes this is certainly what it looks like to me.
I also worried in general about how high anxiety these little guys are, and if they'll ever be able to integrate with the everyone else due to how easily stressed they are. Corralling them inside might be present challenges, too. I hope their skittish nature fades with a bit more age...
Look at all you experts :)
@@ShyTentacle I don't think you need a lot of expertise to notice that the duckling looks kinda... crushed.
Thanks for the Sat. vid, sorry about the loss of your Runners. Lots of fails in farming.
My worry is maybe that flock has something that could spread to the other birds.
My favorite part of all your videos is when the Peking duck waddles down the ramp.
I love the quacken, it always brightens up my day when you release them, I'm so sorry for your loss I hope nothing bad happens to the rest of them
I'm so sorry for your loss. The duckling lived a full and happy life with you. She was loved.
Very sorry about the runner duck. That's gotta be tough. You have a great track record of getting to the bottom of things and finding solutions and I believe in you. Your caring, thoughtful and compassionate approach provides your farm family with great lives. Way to carry on, Farmer Gold.
Aww, I’m so sorry Morgan. I hope this is the last duckling loss you have to experience. 💜
Thanks for updating us on the one that got beat up by the nesting mother 🙏
Hi..... Morgan nice to see you love watching your videos beautiful Duck. Today my teeth is paining I can't watch properly your video homestead, thank you for showing your video homestead chicken Duck Goose farmer garden 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 👕🐔🐓🐥🐩🐈🌱🏡🎥👍👍👍
From what I've looked into, the problem seems to be that runner ducks compete for food to a much higher degree than other ducks, leading to malnutrition in the losers.
Specifically the only thing you could have done differently is split the runner ducks into two flocks when you got them. Smaller duckling flocks will have a higher survival rate.
Or maybe a lot more feed space? I noticed I really had to pay attention to feed space with my commercial layer hens.
interesting
Hey Sweetie
I think you should keep the ducklings on the crumbles for alot longer as it has wormer in the feed and antibiotics for good growing and also i would try and get one tested for disease and you may have something going on there as well,good luck your not doing anything wrong 😑🤗
I’ve raised a quite a few runner ducklings before. I haven’t raised a ton(8 from ducklings, 9 from hatching), however, I might be able to help.
One important thing to remember is that Runner Ducklings are the most fragile thing in the world. They’re both genetically and mentally flawed. Now, the genetic flaws mostly occur in the HATCHING process not from raising, but you might have to reconsider releasing the mini-quacken. While you’re great at raising normal ducklings, Runner Ducklings are idiots. It’s not guaranteed that they know how to get back into their brooder-especially when you’re releasing them the way you are- it’s not an age thing, but I’d recommend watching them to ensure they can actually get into the brooder, spending a bit of time herding them back into the brooder, and maybe making some steps for them. If it’s true that they cannot get back into the brooder to reheat, know that it’s not your fault. You would’ve had no way of knowing, Runner Ducks are notorious for being afraid of everything, so their running into the wall instead of the brooder can appear to be just the quirky ducklings being quirky.
Another thing I’ve noticed in the comments is that some are recommending that you hatch some. I’d recommend against it. Unless you’re prepared to get out your egg surgeon skills, your hatch rate will be abysmally. I mentioned earlier that Runner Ducks are genetically flawed, that’s because -with how they form in the egg- it’s all to common for their necks to be facing the top of the egg instead of their beak. This makes it incredibly difficult for them to hatch naturally. Making them a very difficult species of duck to hatch.
Are runner ducks a naturally occurring species or were they bred by humans? All of these flaws sound like they are some weird 'created" breed that wouldn't be able to survive in nature, like e.g. some of the dog and cat breeds that aren't even able to breathe properly or have too short legs.
@@jessicas253
Absolutely, while he highlighted their ability to eat pests, they were mostly bred for their egg production. One adult hen will lay 200-300 eggs a year depending on the strain. The pest eating ability is likely consequence to said ability, as it allows for the mass production of runner ducks. In fact, the breed has been so modified by humans that we’ve almost completely bred out their maternal instincts, and -even in the event that they do get broody- they will typically abandon the nest after a set period of time or -in the rare event one is hatched naturally- the mother hen will often forget that their ducklings are theirs. Thus, they’ve been almost completely kept alive through artificial incubation or -if you want to have some hatched naturally- through surrogate mothers from other species.
@@totalbuep Maybe drop the farm an email with this info so they see it. Could help keep the rest of the runners alive and such.
@@totalbuep replying so this gets seen. Apparently runner ducks were bred poorly and therefore die easily.
@@totalbuep Wow. Thanks for the information. This makes me really sad. In my personal opinion, overbred species like these shouldn't be supported. That's why I'd never get one of them and would always try to stick with naturally occurring ones. Especially if they were only bred for financial benefits. This isn't ethical farming at all.
That is so odd… we got runner ducks and they were sooo hardy ( and also the most docile ). I am really sorry about what keep happening with your duckies!
:(🙃
If you are looking for a better gene situation if that’s what it could be check out my pet chicken that’s where we got ours. I am really sorry about that.:(
I really don’t want you to think that runner ducks are a bad breed becouse they are my personal favorite and they are my most hardy ducks we have and the sweetest…
The poor runner ducks. Morgan I am sorry to hear about the struggles
Crazy Quackers! Like the tuba music while they walk-around.
Sorry to hear about your runners Morgan,. Anyone who watches you on a regular basis will know that you are doing your best. The only thing I'd wish you'd do is throw a couple of 4x2 lengths of wood under the duck ramp to give it a bit more support. That sag has gotten pretty bad, most of the poor old Quacken looked like they faceplanted on it this morning.
Cheerful Saturday from LA Ca. to Peacham Vt.
Maybe the runner ducklings came to you sickly Morgan. Maybe where they came from is having issues. I would take the deceased duck to a vet. Maybe they can tell you what's going on. I am far from a farmer but maybe the vet can shed some light for you! Just a thought! Good luck ....
yeah, I would get an autopsy there guessing and then there knowing...and keep them quarantined Bird flu?
OMG!!Morgan don't feel sad I got the same problem too.
Hang in there. Your concern and devotion to your animals is very evident. Tomorrow is a new day.
i turned my ad blocker off when i watch u so i can make u money i understand the struggle of being a farmer
The pond looks nice with grass around it!
Wow the farm is looking so lush! And Toby looks pretty trim after his fluff storm :)
heya sorry for yout loss hope you find out if there is something wrong or not love to see how your farm is going greating from Holland
It always sucks to lose any animal, even more so when its young. Hopefully the wisdom of the experienced viewers will help you find the answers you need.
One question, since you're raising ducks for eggs, any chance you'll get some hookbill ducks? They were popular for their eggs, and became rare because people switched to chicken eggs. They are making a comeback now. I love watching your channel, it's a highlight of my day.
Becoming comfortable with performing autopsies is one of those essential skills that people don’t consider. If you want to prevent failures in the future it’s just necessary to understand what went wrong. I’ve autopsied all of mine to try to understand why something happened and how. Even the ones who died from predator attacks. How come this one survived and this one wasn’t even touched did die… all of that. Understanding these things keeps your feet in the science and biology aspect but doesn’t prevent any of the love and compassion and empathy. Always hold onto both. Super proud of you, Morgan. Keep fighting to understand.
This year has been absolutely AWFUL for runners. We hatch them from eggs & haven't had a successful hatch yet this year. The last batch something went wrong right before hatching. They were fully formed but still had the placenta. We are giving it 1 more try & are 10 days in. We are not having a problem with hatching chickens or raising them though lol Last year hatching the runners was a little rough but we only lost a few eggs as I helped those that were starting to peep if they got stuck. Then we didn't lose any while raising them. They are very sensitive & harder to hatch/raise. I keep my runners on starter food just a little longer before I switch them up! It seems to help.
I've had a muscovy population explosion this summer. Even had a chicken brood five muscovy eggs to hatch. I've had 0 runner ducks hatch. They're both separated because I don't want ninnies. But yeah, something is up. Of the runners, I have had a few eggs go bad with runner fetuses fully formed and died. Not sure if it's the heat this summer or what, since it's my first summer with runners, but they've been laying since February.
Odd, I've actually had a pretty good year with my runners. Out of my first hatch of nine, I ended up losing three within the first week or two. One was a stargazer and I was unable to correct the issue, while the other two I'm not sure of the cause (though it could have been related to temps as they were being brooded by a chicken and it was earlier in the year) The remaining six however, are still alive and well and are very healthy and robust. My second hatch resulted in fifteen, and I only lost one within the first couple of days. The rest all did great. I've sold some of them along the way, but they were all robust and healthy when I sold them, and the ones I still have are all still very robust and healthy as well.
Update? I love seeing these guys run!
I just lost one of my Runner ducks. I have 3 Perkins and had two runners. I just broke me that it died. I didn't even know if it was a drake or not so we didn't have a name.
So I can some what relate with the title.
Hopefully the rest of your ducks stay healthy and safe. And hope your doing well.
Off grid with Doug and Stacy have had runner ducks longer than anybody I know. Maybe you can talk to Stacy and she can help you. Or have you already tried?
They look like they may need a higher protein.
Bless the ducks
I'd try some vitamin supplements....possibly lacking some type of vitamin(s). I appreciate your videos...my Dadalways made sure I had ducks since I was 3 yrs. old...he raised chickens 4 eggs and meat...my duckswere 4 eggs and pets. Even though my Dad is now gone, I kept up the legacy of ducks...I currently have 16...18 in the winter 'cause I board 2 other of a some friends. Really enjoy your videos...great stories! Way 2 go Toby...keep up the great work!!
PS: ...maybe they lack niacin...give them some peas!
Oh man, sorry Morgan! Hopefully will not happen again! Have a great weekend Hugs to you Alison and Toby🤗🤗
Blessings to the wee duck. She was in a good place for her little life. ❤
Happy Saturday Morgan
Hi Morgan,
I am so sorry to hear that your new flock additions have been passing so suddenly. Have you looked into a disease called Duck Viral Enteritis? It is a highly contagious disease that can affect ducks, geese, and swans. I've read through some of the other comments and agree that you should try to contact the seller whom you purchased the runner ducks from to check to see if there are any reports of high mortality rates from other buyers or from the supplier. I hope that you can get to the bottom of this mystery soon.
I can see you're gonna have some reading on your hands with this vid. The additions I would make to others comments. I guess just talk with the seller a bit, see if they have issues with the other chicks from other clutchs. Otherwise, I think this is just unlucky. The one little duck looks a bit sick in the pack. But you have the experience of past years, plus I think you've mentioned vets around. Believe in yourself to do the right thing, as most of us watching do. Keep 'er goin' Morgan, and best of luck with these cuties.
maybe a stress issue? Some birds get stress issues even from sudden environment, temperature changes. Hope no more die on you doubt your at fault keep it up.
Hope it’s not Anatipestifer infection
"Chocolate runner" makes me imagine someone smuggling chocolate =)
Baby Chickens are my favorite☺. Sorry to hear that your runner ducks keep dying😢. It's sad and I'm just a viewer and not you, the farmer.
Sorry to hear that :( Poor duckies.
Maybe it's the breeder and not you?
Toby is the man 💕💕💕🐶🐶🥰🥰
Toby dog is really smart and loyal he is a good protector for your animals
I have been breeding runner ducks for 5 years now, they're pretty stressed most of the time. I've had the chicks trampling each other to death because they're all hiding in a corner out of fear.
Hey Morgan, don't blame yourself for the runner ducklings I've never had feathery babies myself and I don't have veterinary qualifications but I think it could be down to bad genetics from the place that was breeding them. You and your wife do the absolute best in everything you do for your animals 😊💖
Oh Morgan…. I’m so sorry about your little runner baby😢
Thankyou for adding the board..
Morgan, I really, really,really hope you get a necropsy done. It’s vital to protect your other birds.
Edit: he said that HE DID A NECROPSY. He did NOT say he was sending it away. Which he really should.
I raise birds. Ducks, chickens, peafowl, ect. They are not good with mold. I see you have them on wood chips which can mold quickly. I would move them somewhere else and decontaminate the enclosure after taking the old chips out with a mixture of bleach and water, like a couple of table spoons to a gallon. Then give them fresh hay to bed down in, I avoid wood chips with birds because it seems to mold fast. Avoid moldy bedding by removing old bedding.
*Carmen:* "NO! 🐔"
🥺
My favorite thing you say is "Realese the quackers!"
Your farm looks beautiful!
I see some interesting comments below and thought I'd help. Pumpjack Piddlewick's comments might be on to something.
I've got runner ducks. I've tried a few strains. They work well and do good. So this problem won't last. You'll get through it. Just hang in there. But I think you need to find a strain that doesn't have troubled genes or whatever.
I've had a few batches of ducklings that were all sickly and some that were half sick, both with mortality issues. And I've had some with no issues. Among both types were runners. Once you get through the sick ones being weeded out, I've now gotten the rest to work out and look and be healthy growing. I think what's left will have stronger survivorship traits. And I think that might be useful for you also. It does seem that what made it through is pretty sturdy now from what I lost and now I'm promoting those genetics. I think you also will be able to really harness and promote the sturdier survivorship genetics now also.
Of the ones that got sick, I was initially very stressed out about it, but then I came to the conclusion that some farms have something going on were the ducklings they shipped out weren't good batches. I came to that conclusion where on one batch that I'd gotten all of them died despite having tried every trick out there possible to keep them alive. I even tried some tricks that most people never know about and still they didn't do well.
So yeah... its not you. Sometimes there's something going on with weak batches. But if you can get past it runners are still very good ducks once you lose the weaker gened ones or whatever it is. I've also had a couple that are good mothers also; its a lie that they can't have good mothering traits.
Now I’m yelling at nap time and bed: “ALL DOGS GO TO BED… ALL DOGS GO TO BED!” Thanks a lot!!!
I'm so sorry about your runner duckling. 😟
Oh, man, I am so sorry. We have a farm locally that has runner ducks and they seem to be doing fine, so that makes me think that maybe the stock you purchased is the problem. I hope you are able to get it sorted. You love your runner ducks and you shouldn't have to deal with this.
Hi Morgan 👌🤙🏻 from wales 🏴 uk 🇬🇧
I have to admit that I am surprised. All the hatching ducks (and chickens) I've seen posted, these looked like they were posted with a water and food cup. Which I was chuffed about, normally I hate posting live hatchlings, even though on a few occasions, I've ordered through my local farm shop. But have collected at 9am, to minimise the length of time in the stress box!
I love you're chickens they're so silly
9:28 Pablo stalking the ducklings xD
"I DONT EXACTLY WHATS GOING ON" WELL SAID SIR!
Ducks and geese can pile up on each other during the night suffocating the one on the bottom. What helped me was a 12v led light hooked up to a gel battery. Now especially when they have an illness or infection they are afraid so some light will help. Preferably gel battery's which you can recharge every day.
Oh! Haha! I have 29 chickens oh right but those checks you have
Are so cute! If you don't
Want any brids to Escape you should
Bay some strange and
Attach it to the latch on the door and then pull
The strange on the inside
The weird chickens are my favorite!!
I know in the last livestream people were talking about bad reviews from the runner duck provider. You did all you could right- and did your part in communicating well with the site. Sometimes research still doesn't reveal something until it's too late. It's sad, but not your fault.
are you going to get some new runner ducklings from a different hatchery to compensate for the ones who passed on to ducks heaven
It's not the hatchery fault it's that runners compete for food more then other types
@@Mcchicktospice maybe
Hey Morgan this sucks mate but don't take it personally, I think your doing a grand job of ensuring their well-being is tended to, I really don't think it's something you are doing. We had a similar situation years ago but with Rabbits (not meat just pets) sometimes there are genetic strains that just don't do well and it's heartbreaking, but no matter what you do it doesn't change the outcome! Keep your head up fella hopefully the remaining lot will be fine.