Indian Runner Duck - Eggs | Colors | Lifespan

The Indian Runner duck is an uncommon and extraordinary trying breed of home duck. The breed is native to the Indian-sub-continent and was discovered on the Indonesian islands of Bali, Java, and Lombok. In this article, I am going to talk about Indian Runner Duck eggs, colors, lifespan, house, running, chicks, care, etc.

Indian Runner Duck profile

Though their identity is ‘Indian Runner duck’, however, there isn’t proof that they got here initially from India itself.

Most likely they had been originated from the East Indies – Java, Lombok, and Malaya.

The time period ‘Indian’ might be fanciful, denoting a loading port of the transport by ‘India-men’ cruising ships of the East India Firm.

Such misname occurred with many different breeds of waterfowl imported into America and Europe.

For instance, the African goose (which is definitely not from Africa), the black East Indian duck (which is definitely not from India), and the Muscovy duck (which is definitely not from Moscow).

Indian Runners are a breed of Anas platyrhynchos domesticus, the home duck. They stand erect like penguins and, moderately than waddling, they run.

The females often lay about 300 to 350 eggs 12 months or more, relying on whether or not they’re from exhibition or utility strains.

They had been discovered on the Indonesian islands of Lombok, Java, and Bali the place they had been ‘walked’ to market and offered as egg-layers or for meat.

These geese don’t fly and solely not often kind nests and incubate their very own eggs.

They run or stroll, usually dropping their eggs wherever they occur to be.

Duck-breeders want to deal with their birds in a single day or be vigilant in choosing up the eggs to stop them from being taken by different animals.

The geese range in weight between 1.4 and a pair of 3kg (3.1 and 5.1 lb). Their top (from crown to tail tip) ranges from 50 cm (20 in) in small females to about 76 cm (30 in) within the taller males.

The erect carriage is a result of a pelvic girdle that’s located extra in the direction of the tail area of the chook in comparison with different breeds of home duck.

This structural function permits the birds to stroll or “quickstep”, moderately than waddle, as seen with different duck breeds. Indian Runner geese have a protracted, wedge-shaped head.

The bill blends into the pinnacle easily being as straight as attainable from bean to the again of the cranium.

The pinnacle is shallower than what’s seen with most different breeds of duck. This impact provides a racy look, a breed trait.

Eye placement is excessive on the pinnacle. Indian Runners have lengthy, slender necks that easily transition into the physique. The body is long, slim however spherical in look.

The eggs are sometimes greenish-white in coloration. Indian Runners have tight feathering.

Drakes have a small curl on the tip of their tails, whereas hens have flat tails. It is troublesome to find out their intercourse till they’re totally mature.

They usually swim in ponds and streams, however, they’re prone to be preoccupied foraging in grassy meadows for worms, slugs, even catching flies.

They recognize open areas however are completely satisfied in gardens from which they can’t fly and the place they make a lot much less noise than name geese.

Solely females quack and drakes are restricted to a hoarse whisper. In comparison with huge desk geese, they eat much less grain and pellet dietary supplements.

The Indian Runner duck has a protracted historical past as evidenced by historic Javan Temple carvings.

This signifies that the Indian Runner sort geese existed in Indo China, 2000 years in the past. Folks on this space have been elevating geese for a whole lot of years.

They educated their geese to forage on the paddy fields and search for grain, weed seeds, bugs, larvae, snails, small reptiles, and many others.

Nonetheless, the Indian Runner duck turned well-liked in Europe and America in the direction of the top of the 19th century, as a great egg-laying duck breed.

It’s recorded that the primary Indian Runner duck was imported to the UK in the course of the 1830s.

But it surely was then referred to as the ‘Penguin Duck‘, primarily due to their unimaginable upright stance.

The breed is acknowledged by each British Waterfowl Requirements and the American Poultry Affiliation’s Commonplace of Excellent.

Immediately the Indian Runner duck is especially raised for his or her eggs manufacturing.

And plenty of fashionable duck breeds have been created from the Indian Runner duck. Abaco Ranger, Khaki Campbell, Welsh Harlequin, and many others. are good examples.

Colour breeding

Indian Runner Duck and Pekins introduced uncommon plumage color mutations. These included the dusky and restricted mallard genes, mild part, harlequin part, blue and brown dilutions.

In addition to the well-known pied varieties named by the geneticist F. M. Lancaster because of the ‘Runner sample’.

A lot of the proliferation of the latest color varieties in breeds of home duck begins with the importation of those oriental geese.

Authentic analysis by R. G. Jaap (the 1930s) and F. M. Lancaster has allowed breeders to know the impact of genotypes in managing and creating color varieties.

Simplified data may be present in writings by Dave Holderread, and Mike and Chris Ashton.

Indian Runner Duck Traits

The Indian Runner Duck is a lightweight weight breed of home geese.

They have got a slim physique and a lengthy neck. Their lengthy neck has prompted the outline of a ‘wine-bottle’.

They’ve slender heads with eyes set excessive and their bill is straight.

The legs of the Indian Runner duck are set far again on their bodies, ensuing within the upright carriage look of the breed.

Some Indian Runner geese stand totally upright when agitated. However, sometimes their carriages are 45 to 75 levels above the horizontal.

Their top (from crown to tail tip) ranges from 50 cm (20 inches) in small females to about 76 cm (30 inches) within the taller males. The drakes have a small curl on the tip of their tails.

However, the geeseIndian Runner Duck have flat tails. And it’s very troublesome to find out the geese and drakes till they’re totally mature.

The Indian Runner duck seems in lots of coloration varieties than every other breed of home duck. 14 coloration varieties are acknowledged by the British Waterbird Requirements.

These are Apricot Dusky, Apricot Trout, Black, Blue, Blue Dusky, Blue Trout, Chocolate, Cumberland Blue, Fawn, Mallard, Silver, Trout, and White.

And eight coloration varieties are admitted into the American Poultry Affiliation’s Commonplace of Perfection.

APA acknowledged coloration varieties are Black, Buff, Chocolate, Cumberland Blue, Fawn, Grey, Penciled, White.

The average bodyweight of the Indian Runner duck is between 1.four to 2 kg. And the drakes are barely bigger than the geese.

The average bodyweight of the drakes is between 1.6 and a pair of.3 kg.

Makes use of

Indian Runner geese are utility birds. They’re distinctive egg layers. They’re primarily stored as an egg-laying duck breed and are additionally good for natural pest management.

Exclusive Points

The Indian Runner duck is a really energetic and docile breed of home duck. They’re wonderful foragers, most likely probably the most energetic forager of all breeds, and are good for natural pest management.

Whereas foraging, they often cover a big space seeking seeds, bugs, slugs, snails, and different edibles. They’re all the time in a rush.

Indian Runner duck is a superb egg layer and might outproduce any hen in a variety of eggs laid per 12 months.

They often lay as much as 250 eggs per year. However one of the best of them can lay as much as 300 eggs per year.

Their eggs can range in coloration, however are sometimes greenish-white in coloration.

Indian Runner duck often requires much less quantity of water in comparison with different duck varieties.

They usually can get by with only a tub of water during which to dunk their heads. They are often moderately jumpy at instances, however, often have a great nature.

And they’re common by way of noise degree. The common lifespan of an Indian Runner duck is about 8-12 years.

Nonetheless, evaluate the full breed profile of the Indian Runner duck within the following chart.

Indian Runner Duck at a glance

Breed Name
Indian Runner

Other Name
Penguin Ducks, Bottle Necks, Runner Ducks

Breed Purpose
Eggs, Organic Pest Control

Special Notes
Active, Docile, Excellent Foragers, Excellent Layers

Breed Class
Light

Broodiness
Poor

Weight
Drake 1.6 to 2.3 kg
Duck 1.4 to 2 kg

Climate Tolerance
All Climates

Egg Color
White, Greenish-White

Egg Size
Large

Egg Weight
65 to 80 grams

Egg Productivity
Excellent

Flying Ability
Poor

Rarity
Common

Indian Runner Duck Varieties

The Indian Runner duck appears in many color varieties than any other breed of domestic duck. 14 color varieties are recognized by the British Waterfowl Standards.

Which are Chocolate, Cumberland Blue, Fawn, Mallard, Silver, Apricot Dusky, Apricot Trout, Black, Blue, Blue Dusky, Blue Trout, Trout, and White?

Colors

Eight color varieties are admitted into the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection which are Cumberland Blue, Fawn, Gray, Penciled Black, Buff, Chocolate, and White.

Country of Origin

Believed to have originated in South East Asia, probably the islands of Indonesia.

Indian Runner Duck – Eggs | Colors | Lifespan | Care