Runner - Silver Duck
| Sex | Order | 1 to 29 | 30 to 124 | 125+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unsexed | $14.45 | $11.00 | $8.00 | |
| Male | $11.50 | $8.75 | $6.50 | |
| Female | $20.25 | $15.25 | $11.25 |
A new color of Runner Duck being offered in 2025 - Introducing the Silver Runner! Known for their unique upright posture and energetic demeanor, Indian Runner Ducks are a fantastic addition to any flock.
At Metzer Farms, we prioritize the health and quality of our ducklings. Our Silver Runner Ducks are carefully selected to ensure you receive healthy baby ducks. Silver Runners are different from other Runner variations in color. They are characterized by their white, very light gray feathering and dark bill.
All Runners were originally bred in Southeast Asia for high egg production and excellent mobility. There is evidence of their ancient ancestry from stone carvings in Java that are over 2000 years old. This runner duck breed is still being used as they were then. Flocks of ducks are herded daily from field to field eating waste rice, weed seeds, insects, slugs, and other bugs. They are then put in a bamboo pen at night where they lay their eggs and are released the following morning to clean other fields. During the course of their lives, the ducks may cover hundreds of miles in their travels. Therefore, a hardy mobile duck is absolutely necessary - you will not find a better foraging duck than the Runner.
| Mar 2 | Mar 9 | Mar 16 | Mar 23 | Mar 30 | Apr 6 | Apr 13 | Apr 20 | Apr 27 | May 4 | May 11 | May 18 | May 26 | Jun 1 | Jun 8 | Jun 15 | |
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| Unsexed | ||||||||||||||||
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• Available
• Not Available
• Limited Availability (<10 birds)
As they are light in weight, there is also less chance of them trampling the vegetation in your garden or yard. Because of the high egg production of the native ducks, duck eggs are used in a variety of ways in Southeast Asia. Not only do they replace the typical chicken egg but duck eggs are made into two unique products, the balut (a partially incubated duck egg) and the salted egg (fresh eggs put in a salt solution or salt mud until the salt has permeated the entire egg). Due to the emphasis in coloration over the past 80 years in the breeding programs in England and the United States, the Runners no longer excel at egg production. They are very average at this point.
Why are they called Indian Runners? Tradition has it the ducks were first imported into England in the 1850s and were named Indians as the ship had proceeded from India and had traded with the "Indies". It wasn't until 1909 that the importing family acknowledged that they came from Southeast Asia - not India. But by then the name had stuck and the breed was extremely popular throughout the country. Until the Khaki Campbell was bred, Runners were by far the most productive egg laying ducks. Prior to the turn of the century there were many egg trials in England where representatives of different breeds and farmers were put on a common site and their egg production monitored and compared.
The first Runners imported into England were either Fawn, Fawn-and-White, or White in color. The first records of them being in an exhibition were in 1877 at the Dumfries Show in Scotland. In 1898 they were admitted into the American Standard Registry.
Customer Reviews of Runner - Silver Duck
5.0Kimberly H. | Very healthy ducklings!
We are return customers. Metzer customer service is excellent and their ducklings are healthy and beautiful. We just received our Silver runner ducks a few days ago. They arrived quickly and are spunky and very healthy. We recommend Metzer Farms 100%
Alison B. | happy ducks
My babies arrived today. I ordered four runner ducks and everyone made it happy and healthy. They were packed securely and with care.
Courtney H. | Sweet babies!
We ordered four runners: a silver, fawn, chocolate, and blue. These babies are the sweetest and healthiest little harbingers of chaos! We absolutely love their antics and personalities. We are already planning our next order from Metzer farms - from shipping to the health of the ducks, I am truly impressed!
Hillary R. | Lovely & Friendly Ducks
We received 2 silver runners in late February 2025/early March 2025. These girls are gorgeous and healthy- their light feathers and dark eyes, bill and feet really make them stunning. We adore them!