An elderly Indian Runner duck copes best when her pen stops asking her to balance. A young Runner strides about upright like a bottle on legs, but an old one sways, trips over small lips and ledges, and can topple when startled. Flatten her world: remove steps entirely, keep every surface she crosses either level or gently ramped with grip, and shorten the distance between her night house, her feed and her water so a tired bird is never far from a place to rest.
Level entry into the Runner's night house
Step-free entry matters most for an elderly Indian Runner because hopping up shakes her balance. Set her house so its floor sits almost level with the pen, and bridge any remaining lip with a short, wide board covered in rubber matting rather than a narrow perch-style ramp. Inside, skip roosts completely; Runners sleep on the floor, so give her deep straw in a corner away from the door draft. Keep the doorway broad enough that she can walk straight in without turning sharply, since tight turns are where an unsteady Runner leans and falls. If she shares with younger ducks, a low partition gives her a quiet sleeping bay where she will not be knocked sideways in the evening rush.
Shallow, walk-in water for an upright duck
Walk-in water replaces any tub an elderly Indian Runner must scramble over. A sunken or ramped bathing tray with water deep enough to splash her head and chest is plenty for an old bird; very deep water tires her and a high rim strands her. Slope the bottom texture rough, not smooth, and give her a matching exit slope so she never has to haul her upright body over an edge while wet and heavy. Place drinking water in a low bucket she can reach standing flat-footed, weighted so it stays put when she leans on the rim. On frosty mornings, clear ice from both water and path before letting her out, because an upright duck slips harder than a low-slung breed.
A short, sheltered route for daily life
A sheltered route helps an elderly Indian Runner because wind catches her tall body and pushes her off line. Run fencing or a hedge along her main path as a windbreak, and roof a section near the house so she can preen and rest outside even in rain. Keep feed in a low tray under that cover rather than scattered widely across the pen, since wide scattering forces long walks that exhaust her before she has eaten enough. Lay matting over any concrete or decking she crosses, and move stones, roots and toys out of her lane. If she pauses and sits mid-route, add a straw rest pad there instead of urging her on; she is marking the distance she can manage.
Signs an old Runner duck needs the vet
An elderly Indian Runner shows decline in her stance before anywhere else. Watch for swaying while standing still, repeated tipping onto one side, a tail that drags, or a sudden refusal to come out of the house in the morning. Contact a vet familiar with waterfowl if she cannot right herself after a fall, stops eating, develops a limp that worsens over a couple of days, or breathes heavily after mild effort. Note which side she favours and when the wobble began, as that detail guides the examination. Storing those observations, her pen layout changes and her appointment history inside KinsLe's Pet Passport turns scattered diary notes into one tidy record her vet can read at a glance.