East Indie

The East Indie is a bantam domestic duck, usually seen in the black variety with a green, beetle-like sheen over the head, neck, and body. Older books may call it Black East Indian or Black East Indie, but its early history is muddled; the name does not prove a clear origin in the East Indies. Mature birds are much smaller than laying and meat breeds, with a neat rounded body, short bill, and dark legs. Young hens may lay dark gray or nearly black eggs at the beginning of the season, a trait that often fades as laying continues.

Today the breed is mainly kept as an exhibition and ornamental duck for people who want small waterfowl rather than a production flock. East Indies are active, can be better flyers than heavy ducks, and are often kept in covered pens or planted aviaries with a clean bathing tub. Breeding selection centers on small size, intense green-black plumage, dark bills, and the absence of white feathers as birds age. Their small eggs and light carcass make them less practical for food production, but they fit well in heritage poultry collections where predator protection and careful pairing are priorities.

Colors: Apricot, Bibbed, Black, Blue, Buff, Chocolate, Fawn, Gray, Grey, Magpie, Mallard, Penciled, Pied, Runner Pattern, Silver, Splash, White