Hello.
After my first 12 Indian runner ducklings of 2024 - born between May 5th and May 7th... 10 new runners babies are now also born, this time between May 13th and May 14th.
Here is a picture of some of them :
(These poor, pretty babies are still shy, so I just can't take good enough pictures for the time being...)
There are :
- 1 White duckling,
- 3 Trout ducklings,
- 6 Light Dusky ducklings - 2 among them being... crested!
The two Light Dusky on the right are, indeed, Bali ducklings : the one on the far right has a pretty big crest of feathers on its head, and the first one on its left has just a tiny, tiny crest of short feathers...
I don't know how that happened : after all, I own NO crested duck; and it's the very first time one of my hens hatches Bali ducklings...!
Until yesterday, I even thought one of the parents had to be crested in order to birth a crested duckling...?
...I have thanksfully already learned about crested ducks...
I know their health, and even their life, could be at risk because of some neurological problem caused by a skull malformation... but some things I don't know...!
Thus, I would have some questions :
1 - Do Bali ducklings born from non-crested parents are less at risk from health issues?
I know crested ducks can have a big variety of issues : they can suffer from seizures, mobility impairments, blindness, etc...
I also remember reading about the fact these issues can be particularly aggravated if the TWO parents of a crested ducks are crested themselves...(?)
But then : what about a Bali duck born from normal Indian Runner ducks...? Is it generally more lucky...?
2 - Does the size of the crest matter concerning these health issues?
I once read about the fact smaller is the crest, better it is...
In fact, I remember to have read that, because of the risks to their health, and even to their life : big-crested ducks are wrong to breed, but it would be okay to breed small-crested ducks...?
...Could somebody confirm?
3 - Is the size of the crest of importance to avoid injuries when mating...?
Ducks can be hurt by drakes because drakes tend to bite and pull on the ducks' head when they are mating...
But crested ducks are more at risks, because what...? They have a crest of feathers on their head, yes; but also because underneath this hair is a very sensible area of the body... (Fat? Tumerous fat, specifically...? Would somebody have details...?)
And I do wonder if the head of small-crested ducks are just less sensible than the head of big-crested ducks; and also if the size matters concerning the risk of injuries...?
I am going to give away these ducklings when they are old enough...
But I want to be careful, and give the Bali ones - if ever they survive (ducklings can die easily, but more so crested ones) - to somebody who would be particularly responsible with them.
Thus, if the two crested ducklings I have now are a male and a female, I won't give them away together, so I know they at least won't be bred for their crest by people not prepared for the consequences...!
But : I am also especially worrying if these babies are females...
Where I am from, a lot of people do contact me in order to get some female Runners, and a lot of them specifically want one female for their one male, or worse yet : one female for their several males...
One female per drake could work - sometimes, it does -, but I would not let go of my duck if she was crested AND I knew the person who would want to take her home owns no other females : I would be afraid a drake would downright rip the crest off the duck, and I see blood, and... I don't know if it would be possible to reassure me?
Thus, if my Bali ducklings are females AND I don't find anyone responsible enough to bring them home, I am considering keeping them.
I don't want crested ducks, but if I don't have any choice to protect my babies... what can I do?
...Nevertheless, to be honest : I am kind of afraid keeping Bali females would also be very stupid on my part.
Because my drakes can be mean, and tend to rip feathers of their girls' head; and I am going to buy some others females, but also other males...
...Would somebody want to share their knowledges (and/or pictures, please) about Crested Indian Runner ducks? Or even their opinions...?
I was not counting on havind any at my home... but now these Bali ducklings are here, I have to learn more about them, and prepare myself in case I'm stuck with them.
(For now, I have already thought about adding food grade Diatomaceous Earth to their food, since it is renowed good for bones - among other things... I hope it could at least limit the damages to their skull, if there is any...!)
(I'm preparing for the worse, because I have read so much about what could go wrong with crested ducks...)
Thank you!!
After my first 12 Indian runner ducklings of 2024 - born between May 5th and May 7th... 10 new runners babies are now also born, this time between May 13th and May 14th.
Here is a picture of some of them :
(These poor, pretty babies are still shy, so I just can't take good enough pictures for the time being...)
There are :
- 1 White duckling,
- 3 Trout ducklings,
- 6 Light Dusky ducklings - 2 among them being... crested!
The two Light Dusky on the right are, indeed, Bali ducklings : the one on the far right has a pretty big crest of feathers on its head, and the first one on its left has just a tiny, tiny crest of short feathers...
I don't know how that happened : after all, I own NO crested duck; and it's the very first time one of my hens hatches Bali ducklings...!
Until yesterday, I even thought one of the parents had to be crested in order to birth a crested duckling...?
...I have thanksfully already learned about crested ducks...
I know their health, and even their life, could be at risk because of some neurological problem caused by a skull malformation... but some things I don't know...!
Thus, I would have some questions :
1 - Do Bali ducklings born from non-crested parents are less at risk from health issues?
I know crested ducks can have a big variety of issues : they can suffer from seizures, mobility impairments, blindness, etc...
I also remember reading about the fact these issues can be particularly aggravated if the TWO parents of a crested ducks are crested themselves...(?)
But then : what about a Bali duck born from normal Indian Runner ducks...? Is it generally more lucky...?
2 - Does the size of the crest matter concerning these health issues?
I once read about the fact smaller is the crest, better it is...
In fact, I remember to have read that, because of the risks to their health, and even to their life : big-crested ducks are wrong to breed, but it would be okay to breed small-crested ducks...?
...Could somebody confirm?
3 - Is the size of the crest of importance to avoid injuries when mating...?
Ducks can be hurt by drakes because drakes tend to bite and pull on the ducks' head when they are mating...
But crested ducks are more at risks, because what...? They have a crest of feathers on their head, yes; but also because underneath this hair is a very sensible area of the body... (Fat? Tumerous fat, specifically...? Would somebody have details...?)
And I do wonder if the head of small-crested ducks are just less sensible than the head of big-crested ducks; and also if the size matters concerning the risk of injuries...?
I am going to give away these ducklings when they are old enough...
But I want to be careful, and give the Bali ones - if ever they survive (ducklings can die easily, but more so crested ones) - to somebody who would be particularly responsible with them.
Thus, if the two crested ducklings I have now are a male and a female, I won't give them away together, so I know they at least won't be bred for their crest by people not prepared for the consequences...!
But : I am also especially worrying if these babies are females...
Where I am from, a lot of people do contact me in order to get some female Runners, and a lot of them specifically want one female for their one male, or worse yet : one female for their several males...
One female per drake could work - sometimes, it does -, but I would not let go of my duck if she was crested AND I knew the person who would want to take her home owns no other females : I would be afraid a drake would downright rip the crest off the duck, and I see blood, and... I don't know if it would be possible to reassure me?
Thus, if my Bali ducklings are females AND I don't find anyone responsible enough to bring them home, I am considering keeping them.
I don't want crested ducks, but if I don't have any choice to protect my babies... what can I do?
...Nevertheless, to be honest : I am kind of afraid keeping Bali females would also be very stupid on my part.
Because my drakes can be mean, and tend to rip feathers of their girls' head; and I am going to buy some others females, but also other males...
...Would somebody want to share their knowledges (and/or pictures, please) about Crested Indian Runner ducks? Or even their opinions...?
I was not counting on havind any at my home... but now these Bali ducklings are here, I have to learn more about them, and prepare myself in case I'm stuck with them.
(For now, I have already thought about adding food grade Diatomaceous Earth to their food, since it is renowed good for bones - among other things... I hope it could at least limit the damages to their skull, if there is any...!)
(I'm preparing for the worse, because I have read so much about what could go wrong with crested ducks...)
Thank you!!