The Indian Runner Duck is a favourite among duck lovers. They are native to the Indian-sub-continent and Malaysia.

The breed is thought to have been imported to the UK in 1850 by a sea captain.

An extraordinary looking duck, it is characterized by an extremely short thigh bones which gives it an usual gait. Indian runners run rather like penguins, very comical to watch!

In size they can be up to 14” tall and can weigh around 3 to 5 lb, the drakes being heavier than the ducks. They are quiet and known for their excellent egg laying production (up to 365 per year, or one per day in one year old ducks from the best utility strains, and only very rarely go broody.

The eggs are white, off-white, blue, or light green in colour and around the size of a large hen's egg. The breed does not require the same food intake as the larger breeds, and the Indian runner likes nothing better than foraging for tidbits amongst ground cover and foliage and with this in mind are also bred on farms for their natural pest control abilities.

Indian runners are flightless ducks making them prone to fox attack if kept on a free range basis.  An enclosed, secure run is a must with Indian Runners.

The birds are bred in many colours, including, white, black, blue, chocolate, fawn, fawn & white, trout, mallard, silver and apricot.

I only keep chocolate indian runners as this is my favourite colour. Shame they don't lay chocolate eggs!

Hatching eggs are available now