# Black East Indie Ducks



## ksalvagno

Does anyone have experience with the Black East Indie ducks? How do you like them?

I saw some about a year ago and just fell in love with them. How are they as pets? I was thinking of getting some in the future and maybe even hatching eggs and sell ducklings.


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## ThreeBoysChicks

ksalvagno said:
			
		

> Does anyone have experience with the Black East Indie ducks? How do you like them?
> 
> I saw some about a year ago and just fell in love with them. How are they as pets? I was thinking of getting some in the future and maybe even hatching eggs and sell ducklings.


You either love them or hate them.  I had runners and really liked them.  They were good egg layers.

They really can not take flight at all and because mine free ranged in the fields, I lost many of them to predators (Foxes).

If you are going to get them, I would strongly recommend you get them from Holderreads.  They have the best stock.  Many of the stock you get from others, while they are runners, do not stand up erect, like runners should.  The Holderreads are good stock.  

Good Luck!  I say purchase some.


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## Royd Wood

The wife loves em and I dislike them sometimes - ok their fine when laying those beautiful blue duck eggs
Timid and noisy but everyone else seems to love them here as they look like bowling pins


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## ksalvagno

So Runner ducks may be a better choice than the Black East Indies?


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## boothcreek

East Indies are bantam ducks(not to be confused with the indian runner, completely different duck). When handraised they are quite tame.

I do believe they do fly quite well too, but am not 100% on that but if they are like any other similar sized duck(calls and australian spotted) then they will fly circles around your house.
Not the best layers, more of a showbird but that again can and will depend on the line. Unlike calls they still have a nice natural headshape and therefor dont have the problems with hatching.


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## Royd Wood

ksalvagno said:
			
		

> So Runner ducks may be a better choice than the Black East Indies?


if you want eggs then yes ????????
East Indies come from the USA lol - thanks booth


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## ThreeBoysChicks

My mistake.  I was thinking you were talking about Runner ducks..... 

Thanks to boothcreek for clarifying.  I have not raised East Indies (the bantam duck).  I had Indian Runner Ducks.


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## Goatherd

I have ducks, but not the East Indies.  I will also agree Holderreads is the place to go if you want quality birds.  I have ducks from them and their birds and shipping are top notch.


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## Southern by choice

For eggs, if that's what you are really looking for I prefer the Khaki Campbell. A quite docile bird that can outlay most chickens. 250-340 eggs per year. Small 4 1/2 lbs beautiful ducks. Excellent foragers.

The Khaki's are also on the "watch" list with the ALBC...  http://albc-usa.org

We love these, I did not care for the runners myself.


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## PendergrassRanch

A friend of mine just got 3 EI that are Holderreads stock.  She loves them!


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## ksalvagno

Thanks! I made the mistake of going to Holderreads website. Since I would have to order at least 10 for getting ducklings, maybe it would be good to try a couple different breeds. I also fell in love with the silkies. I certainly wouldn't mind getting eggs but I'm not set on having eggs or meat. Just wanted to have a couple as "working" pets. I think I will keep reading up on ducks. The messy part scares me. But they are so cute and I have been thinking about getting them on and off for over a year now.


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## PattySh

No experience with east indies. I have Magpies and they are very docile and quiet. They laid eggs all summer, took a little break in the fall and started right up during the winter. I've never seen such prolific ducks. The ducks are in the barn tho for the winter and I can't wait til I can give them bathing water as they are a bit dirty. They do semi bathe in their 2 gal heated bucket, little buggers.


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## Goatherd

> The messy part scares me


I was going to mention earlier that if mess is a problem for you, you might want to reconsider ducks.  I free range my ducks and that cuts down tremendously on the mess, but I could only imagine if they were penned constantly what it would be like.

In the summer, and part of the winter, my ducks and geese have access to natural water and that cuts down tremendously on the hygiene issue.  During the winter months I could change their water 10 times a day and it still wouldn't be clean.

I bought Silky ducks from Holderreads and I will tell you, order the most expensive ones you can afford if you want them to have the silky feathering.  I bought the mid priced Silky duck and it is basically "just a small black duck." They do not have the coloring that the pictures indicate.  They are very pleasant ducks and neither is interested in each other.  Both have other large ducks that they are attracted to as mates and that is really funny to see.


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## ksalvagno

I would want to free range the ducks. I was hoping to free range them in the goat area to cut down on parasites. Does anyone let their ducks be in with other animals?

This is why I'm working really hard to think everything through before buying ducks. I know there are guinea fowl to eat parasites but my husband really can't stand looking at them and I heard they were noisy so that would be out. I had to put my chickens in the freezer for now but once we move, I will be getting more chickens. I know the chickens will eat parasites but I have heard they aren't as good at it as ducks or guineas. Plus we will be cutting way back and only getting like 6 chickens. Previously we kept between 15 & 25.


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## ThreeBoysChicks

ksalvagno said:
			
		

> I would want to free range the ducks. I was hoping to free range them in the goat area to cut down on parasites. Does anyone let their ducks be in with other animals?
> 
> This is why I'm working really hard to think everything through before buying ducks. I know there are guinea fowl to eat parasites but my husband really can't stand looking at them and I heard they were noisy so that would be out. I had to put my chickens in the freezer for now but once we move, I will be getting more chickens. I know the chickens will eat parasites but I have heard they aren't as good at it as ducks or guineas. Plus we will be cutting way back and only getting like 6 chickens. Previously we kept between 15 & 25.


You need guineas.  My ducks eat grass and food.  I do not see them eating bugs that much.  Guineas, they are the bug eaters.


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## ksalvagno

My husband can't stand guineas. There is no way I can get any.


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## ThreeBoysChicks

ksalvagno said:
			
		

> My husband can't stand guineas. There is no way I can get any.


That was my wife.  She loved that they ate the Stink Bugs, but could not stand the fact they congregated under our bedroom window at 5:30 am for a morning serenade.  They are gone.  If Momma not happy, anin't nobody happy.


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## Royd Wood

Muscovys wander all over the farm here. In with cattle, pigs, sheep and horses and so far no problems
This time of year we have 8 breeding stock but are up around 200 by the fall, all outside free ranging and not quack to be heard


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## Goatherd

My ducks go into the goat pasture at their discretion.  My pasture has some natural water sources (springs) and the duck drink from this water.  They also scavenge the pasture and I have to assume they are eating bugs or slugs.  The goats and alpaca couldn't care less about these uninvited guests.


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## Southern by choice

All our ducks and geese range everywhere...and I mean everywhere...they fully  live off the land  we have needed to give a little supplement this year as the heavy rains have destroyed our vegetation. The only downside we have with them is they LOVE our porch... and like to come up to the house and sleep on the carport so, as you mayhave guessed.... poop all over the porch :/ 
Some of our geese like to walk up the stairs ane stand at the back door... they actually want tocome in the house 

I like geese better than ducks but the Khaki's are my favorite


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## Fullhousefarm

Maybe this doesn't mean as much to you in Ohio, but Ducks eat fire ants!  As long as you don't mind little holes, that I think are less annoying than chicken dust bath spots) they are pretty great. Ours free range all day and are locked in a special "coop" adjacent to our chicken pen at night. They forage great, walk around the yard in a cute little line, and love rainy dreary days when the other animals all look miserable. Oh, and ducklings are so stinking cute.

My daughter has Pekins, so no help on the breeds.


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## ragdollcatlady

I bought some of Holderreads Black East Indies for my brother when I bought some of their calls for myself. I  had them back here to babysit for a few months and sold some of the babies. They do fly and they fly well. Here, they free ranged over the back but never flew over our fences. They are bantams and they are cute and were very maintenance free for both myself and my brother. They have them in the city...big city...and the 3 are just as happy as clams in a small, maybe 8 by 8 pen with a duck house for shelter and a small black pond for swimming. My mom empties their pond weekly and uses the fertilizer water for her very happy garden, and the ducks help clean the bugs out of the compost a black rubber pan at a time. She feeds them slugs and snails and they eat/ use the lavender colored eggs. They are perfect, small and very cute companions for their situation and they were cute and carefree running loose when they were here. I love ducks so that could affect how much you like them too. They have beautiful iridescent plumage and they know my mom. When she goes to tend the garden, they wait by the gate and get all excited, looking for the goodies grandma surely brought for them.


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