[Bobbie]

Before the really cold weather arives, can someone advise best bedding for two runner ducks. At the moment am using hemcore same as the girls, would the runners be better with something else added, don't want tobe caught out over Christmas.
Thankyou
Bobbie

[Kate and her Ducks]

I just use hemcore for my ducks and they are happy with it.

[Bobbie]

Thanks Kate,
chicken and ducks rule the roost here, they run riot most of the day, but runners have got a well built dog kennel with a small run for  the night and when we are not around for the odd couple of hours, just thought they would be more cosy with something else in there.
As you seem to answer a lot of the ducky questions, what do you feed yours on? 
Bobbie

[Kate and her Ducks]

I usually feed them on the Smallholder range Duck and Goose breeder pellets but if I can't get hold of them I just give them layers pellets.
They get the odd handful of mixed grain in the evening and as much greenery as I can find for them plus some chopped tomatoes which they love!

[Foxy]

I have a lot of runners and use stalosan powder on the base of their shed then easibed (similar to hemcore) I then top a thick layer of chopped straw which I add a few handfuls every few days to top it up. The feeding regime is the same as kate and her ducks, I prefer to use a specialist duck feed, plus I give them grains in the afternoon/evening I dont have chooks sharing their shed though.

[Bobbie]

Thanks for the advice, think I will pick up some chopped straw tomorrow. My runners don't share with the chickens, they have their own area to free range and wreck, and their own secure pen when we are not about, but we have 5 chickens that are left from 7 we hatched, unfortuately 2 were cocks, and we had to do the horrible deed on  them, 3rd was a cuckoo maran which now lives in with the other girls down the bottom of the garden, leaving 4 leghorns which are a bit younger that free range with the ducks during the day, but sleep seperate at night. The 4 chickens helped the ducks settle in, as they seemed to be nervous to start with.
They have all the fruit and vegetable peelings and I buy bags of carrots. cabbage and anything else I think they would like, including pinapple skin, but put it all in the food processor, so it  is chopped, make up extra pasta, spagetti,  rice,  then it gets scattered around their free range area so it gives them something to do.  Going to try Scats tomorrow for some duck and goose pellets.
Bobbie
Bobbie