Indian runner ducks - should I get a drake?

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Hi,

I have about a third of my garden fenced off which is a poultry area. It's around 4m x 10m, so 40 metres squared. I've been keeping poultry for a year and a half now and I love them!

Currently I have 7 hens (mainly ex-batts) and a pair of female runner ducks. They live on wood chip (because they destroyed the grass), but they like rummaging for insects and they get greens daily.

I'm about to upgrade their shabby house to a nice new one suitable for 12-15 birds.

The ducks sleep with the hens. They used to have a special duck house but they abandoned it one day and moved in with their friends! They also have a large tub to bathe in.

My question is this: my ducks seem happy and healthy but they have spent all spring 'mating' with each other and one went broody. One also went off lay (I guess this is the broody one?) Obviously two is the minimum number for ducks as they need their own kind, but I'm wondering whether not only do I need another bird, do I need a drake?

I'd love a drake but I have a few reservations. Would a drake harrass just a pair of females too much? I've heard male ducks can be bullies. How many chicks would they hatch a year and how easy would these be to sell? Can I reduce the number of chicks - say she laid 10 eggs, could I take 5 or would she know and be distressed? How easy is it to raise chicks the natural way, with their mother?

If I decided to get one or two more females, how easy are introductions? Do they scrap like hens?

Although my birds all seem happy enough I'm still pretty new to this so I apologise if these are simple questions. Thank you!

I have a friend with one drake and one duck and they are fine - Runners. I have a trio of Campbells and they are fine. I suppose it depends on the drake. You could just get another duck. Ducks do not usually make good mothers and you will often find that ducklings have been hatched under a broody hen or in an incubator. If you want to go down the hatching line you need to consider what to do with an excess of drakes which you would be likely to have - they are not easy to home even if free!! Ducks are usually much easier than hens to make introductions to and it is usually a non-event

Hope this helps.

Hi,

Thank you for the replies.  As you say there is no need to let the eggs hatch if I don't want to so I almost feel it would be a shame not to give a drake a home as there are so many needing homes.  I certainly feel I would like to get another one or two birds and have more of a 'flock'. 

It seems having spoken to people that indian runners are calmer drakes than some other ducks.

I'll let you know how I get on