Hi,
I wonder if anyone could shed light onto Indian Runner Duck keeping for me.
I used this site before I got chickens and it was a HUGE help. I have had the chickens for over a year now and its going from strength to strength (started with 6 then got into chicken rescue so now got 10.............but im sure we will have more)
Anyhow, we are now thinking of getting 2 female Indian Runner Ducks. The idea is that they can have the run of the garden (the area they will have free reign of is approx 60m x 5m and mainly grass with hedging at the sides and a few wood chip / bark paths). The chickens are fenced off and have their own area so they wont be able to mix with each other.
So, my questions are:- 1. what sort of access to water do they need ?? We were thinking of sinking a pond approx 3m x 3m by 1m deep and simply leaving it to go 'wild' ie not changing the water, letting grow whatever grows in it etc etc.
2. do they put themselves to bed at night ? will they go into their house so all we have to do is shut them in and let them back out in the morning ? or will we have to 'heard' them in at night ?
3. I was told we could feed them what we feed the chickens , layers pellets, but also throw so corn/wheat into the 'pond' for them ??
4. what bedding material do they need, again I was told straw like the chucks and then clean them out when in do the chucks ??
All advice very much appreciated.
Cheers
Milzy