How to tell the 2 colors apart as babies:
Ducklings are dunn colored with a slight blushing of black (silver phase) or brown (gold phase) on their heads. Welsh Harlequins can be sexed right after hatching with about a 90% accuracy. Take a look at their bill color within the first 3 days...
Mine do.
You have to help them "set" a routine while they are young. but once they get one set, that is it!
When I first started to let mine wander the yard, I stayed out with them and scurried them back when they started to roam further then I liked.
When they got bigger, just before...
http://holderreadfarm.com/photogallery/welsh_page/welsh_page.htm
A Pair of Silver Welsh Harlequin Day-Old Ducklings
Although not always as distinct as it is in this pair, day-old Harlequin males often have darker bills (left duckling) than the females (right duckling). The bill...
Metzer Farms has a breed comparison chart (link posted below)
This is a very good site to go to for duck/geese info.
http://www.metzerfarms.com/DuckBreedComparison.cfm?CustID=1429488
At that age they are hard to tell. The bill and leg color does not set until a bit older. Boys will have a yellowish/greenish bill and yellow legs. Girls have dark bills and legs. You can not go by feather colors yet
It will be harder and less accurate, but there might still be a bit of a difference for you to try and sex them by bill color.
Did you check Metzer farms for sexed ducklings?
http://www.metzerfarms.com/WelshHarlequinDucks.cfm?Breed=Welsh%20Harlequin&BirdType=Duck&ID=WH&CustID=1415674...
So far, mine have not shown any interesting in becoming broody. If you have dome interested,
I'd say let them try. But, if you really want/need a good hatch, I'd put some in an incubator.
Good luck, let us know how it goes.
From what I've read, gold is the standard color. You can not show silver over seas.
I have read many complaints about judges here placing silver over golds.
Me personally, I like the silver.
Good Luck on yours!!!!
Today I sent eggs home with a friend to incubate for me.
My small flock has been together for over a month now so, any that hatch will be 100% pure WH.
I started to collect them on the 24th or 25th....we were getting around 3 per day. Soooo we are hoping to...