Black East Indie

Origin:  America

Category: Bantam

Egg Colour: Black to greyish green

Sitter:  Yes

The Black East Indian duck is thought to be the oldest breed of bantam duck. It's origins are debated, some saying it originated from America during the 19th century. It is thought the name may have been a marketing strategy at the time. The breed has a striking appearance with their jet black bills and a beetle green iridescent plumage sheen.

The Black East Indian was admitted to the British standards in 1865. It was added to the American Standard of Perfection in 1874. In Australia it was included in the first APS in 1998.

It is probably not accurate to state that the Black Cast India duck is a miniature Cayuga, inasmuch as there is considerable evidence that this diminutive breed was an antecedent of its larger cousin; since it was first to appear in the Book of Standards in 1865 at a time when the Cayuga was a nondescript duck of varying shades of colors and lack of uniformity of type. Prior to its being standardized, the Black East India was known by other designations, among them being the Labrador, Black Brazilian and Buenos Ayres duck, which would indicate that it may have originated in the Southern Hemisphere although its origins remain unclear. In any event, it appears to have been the first entirely black breed of ducks to have been recognized as such and it was its unique, seductive, greenish black plumage that attracted English fanciers, who promptly intensified that feature along with reducing its size to Bantam proportions.

The East India is primarily a fancier's fowl and is kept chiefly for its striking ornamental features, associated with its resplendent luster of plumage, although its Lilliputian size attracts many admirers. A facile flyer, it needs to be pinioned to retain within bounds, where it does well in confinement.

The Black East Indian is a rather profuse layer, for such a small duck, of eggs that are, in the earlier stages of laying, a pronounced black; but which are inclined to become a shade of greyish green as the production progresses. If left to itself, it proves to be an excellent mother and will raise large broods of young. Its eggs hatch well artificially, also.

Since this breed is prized for its small size, it should be kept in that category, even at the expense of luster of plumage; a precaution too many judges have subordinated to surface color, with the result that many entries at the shows are becoming merely undersize Cayugas and, therefore, out of character. While the points allocation does weight toward colour, size and type is of primary importance as in all breeds.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

SHAPE OF DRAKE AND DUCK

HEAD: Of moderate size, with rounded dome; trim.

BILL: Rather short and set on to the skull in line with the tip of the eye.

EYES: Of medium size, luminous and watchful.

NECK: Just under medium length, slightly tapering from both head and shoulders toward its center. Slightly curved.

BACK: Medium width, rather long but of conservative length in relation to breadth, straight from shoulders to tail and slightly convex in cross section.

TAIL: Rather short, compact and slightly elevated, composed of short, stiff feathers; sex feathers of drake, hard, well-curled.

WINGS: Well developed and strong, long, carried well up, tips meeting at the saddle.

BODY: Long, conforming to back dimensions, but round, racy and compact; the smaller in size the better.

BREAST: Full and plump, blending smoothly into body.

STERN: Rising sharply toward tail.

LEGS: Moderately short and attached centrally to facilitate a horizontal carriage.

PLUMAGE: Snug fitting and smooth, highly lustrous.

CARRIAGE: Level with horizontal back line.

SIZE: The more diminutive the size in all sections, other things equal, the better.

COLOUR

COLOR OF DRAKE AND DUCK

BILL: Black, or greenish black, with black bean.

EYES: Dark brown.

FEET AND SHANKS: Black or nearly black, becoming tinted with orange with age.

PLUMAGE: Black, with a pronounced greenish luster in all sections, except speculum, which may show a subdued purplish tint. Between two competing specimens, that are otherwise equal, the one with the more pronounced green sheen is superior.

WEIGHTS

Male 700-900g, Female 700-800g

SCALE OF POINTS

Points heavily weighted on colour.

SERIOUS DEFECTS

• White in any part of plumage.

• Purple sheen

• foreign bill colour

See Disqualifications

SOURCES

• The American standard of perfection, illustrated. A complete description of recognized varieties of fowls, as revised by [the Association at its 62d-67th annual meetings, 1937-42.] Public Domain accessed from: https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009169004

• Poultry Keeper https://poultrykeeper.com/duck-breeds/black-east-indian-ducks/

• Grow, O. (1956). Universal waterfowl standard and judging guide. Milwaukee: American Waterfowl Assoc., inc.

• Australian Poultry Standards 2nd Edition