Indian Runner Ducks
SOME HISTORY ABOUT INDIAN RUNNER DUCKS
About the year 1848 a ship's captain
from the northern coast of England, who noticed their peculiarities when ashore on the
coast of India, decided to bring a few Indian Runners home as a present to some of his
friends. It was this fact, together with their quick running gait that gained the name of
India or Indian Runners. For more than sixty years the breed and the name were known only
locally in the county of Cumberland. In the last six or eight years American fanciers
have imported ducks from England. But up to 1907 they were little known here in the
South.
CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIAN RUNNERS.
Shape and carriage are the first points to
look for. A perfect bird should have a well rounded body, somewhat bottle-shaped, narrow,
lengthy and very tightly feathered, the legs being placed much farther back than in the
Wild Mallard or the common domestic duck. The front of the body is greatly elevated in
order to enable the bird to balance itself properly when running, or when on the alert.
The shoulders are close and the wings are carried close and nicely tucked up under the
flank feathers. Behind the legs the under line of the body swings gradually around to the
tail, which is close and neat, and in some excellent specimens a trifle elevated and
slightly out of line with the body, but not turned up like the Pekin's. From the legs to
the shoulder points the body is of nearly uniform width and thickness ; but from the
shoulders there is a gradual funnel-like tapering to the thinnest part of the neck. The
neck is of good length and very fine. The head is unlike that of any other breed and
should be wedge-shaped. The eyes are placed unusually high in the skull, which is
somewhat flatter and lower than in the common duck. The bill is deep at its base, fitting
well into the head and should be carried out strong, full and level to the tip. The upper
mandible projects well over the lower one making the bill appear rather thick towards its
extremity. In comparison with ordinary ducks, a good Runner appears longer and thinner,
and the impression is heightened by the erect carriage and the fact that the bird when on
the alert carries neck and body almost in a line at an angle of 45 to 80 degrees to the
horizon — the higher the better. The feet of some of the best Runners are rather smaller
than those of the common breeds.
COLOR OF TRUE INDIAN RUNNERS.
Color has been a stumbling block to many
fanciers. In the duck the correct color is a warm, sunny fawn, neither a pale, washed-out
drab nor a dark, cold, dusty grey or brown ; but a rather light brown with a flush of
golden sunshine running through it. The colored body feathers are laced or penciled, the
ground being of a rather duller and more indistinct shade than the margin of the
feathers. Some fanciers appear to be under the impression that the feathers of the duck
should be perfectly plain without any trace of lacing, but this is quite a mistake and
certainly not desirable. The real ginger fawn has nearly always been associated with the
most perfect shape and carriage and to me is more attractive than any other color. The
body feathers of the drake are of a light fawn color, minutely penciled or peppered with
dark lines and the color is hardly of such a soft, warm shade as the duck. At the front
of the breast towards the throat the color frequently deepens a little. The head and
lower part of the back are a darker shade, often showing a faint greenish color, and the
tail approaches the color of the body. The coloring of the bill varies somewhat with the
seasons and the condition of the bird, that of the adult duck being a dull, deep cucumber
green when newly moulted and the drake shows a somewhat lighter shade. The legs and feet
are usually a deep yellow, but some show splashes of tan or brown. As an exhibition breed
the Indian Runner promises to outrival all competition, and in this direction I believe
the greatest step is yet to come. There are so many points about it to captivate the
fancier and hold his attention. There is room for careful and systematic breeding and
ample opportunity for the display of skill in mating and selection. From the day that the
eggs are hatched to the time the ducklings are grown, it is a source of pleasure to watch
their good qualities unfolding.
UTILITY PROPERTIES OE RUNNERS.
The Indian Runner duck is not only unique from
a fancier's point of view, but for the utility man it fills a gap that no other breed ever
has. It is the greatest forager and the most prolific laying breed of domestic ducks in
the world. The light get-up, running gait and remarkable vitality it possesses gives it a
great advantage over the heavier breeds. It is a ceaseless worker, quick, alert and ever
on the move. In the moist and showery days of spring they will range far and wide seeking
out insects and small animal life. The keenness and action shown by a flock of Indian
Runners on the hunt, and the amount of ground they manage to get over is a revelation to
those who have kept only the heavier breeds. Farmers often have the most favorable
conditions for keeping a flock of ducks. Pastures and stubbles are ideal hunting grounds
for Runners and where they have a good range the cost of handling and feeding is almost
nothing. As a table bird, the Runner cannot be classed with any other duck, which can be
fed up to great weights. The Indian Runner seldom exceeds five pounds. Many people think
that for this reason it is useless to rear Indian Runners for table purposes. Their
appearance is somewhat deceptive, as they are much closer feathered than other varieties
and are really well fleshed. The quality of the meat can hardly be surpassed. Runners are
not adapted for close confinement in small damp runs. If kept well supplied with oyster
shells, beef scraps and green stuff, a pen may be kept in a comparatively small grass run
with success. They require little water and with an occasional bath will keep in excellent
condition.
HOUSING INDIAN RUNNER DUCKS.
No elaborate houses are required.
A roomy house, with a dry floor and plenty of ventilation, but protected from cold,
sweeping winds are all that is needed. In warm climates they do better in the open air.
They can stand a wide range of climate and temperature if kept under common sense
conditions. But where severe winters are experienced and the ground is frozen hard they
must have a liberal supply of animal food and green stuff. Here in the South an open shed
is all that is required in winter. They do better to roost in the open air during the
summer months. After sixteen weeks of age we never give our ducks shelter winter or
summer.
ABOUT INBREEDINGThe merit of inbreeding all depends upon how it is done. Much
care must be exercised in mating, even with pure breeds and a fine strain. Some birds are
diseased or lacking in vigor and should be discarded. Others have defects in form or color
or laying qualities and these also should be kept out of the breeding pen. The progeny of
no flock is without some defective specimens which need to be culled out. The so-called
running out of poultry from inbreeding comes from lack of care in mating. Proper
selection will build up a flock constantly, while promiscuous breeding will as surely run
it down. Growing ducklings thrive best on a feed composed of equal parts, by measure, of
cornmeal, ground peas, bran and middlings, all made into a thick mash, either with
scalding hot water or milk, the latter being the best. The mash is improved by adding
short-cut green grass, clover or some other green stuff, and a few handfuls of coarse
sand.
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