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Welsh Harlequins coming!

post #1 of 36
8/16/11 at 2:20pm
Thread Starter 

I have 4 Welsh Harlequin ducklings coming from Metzer tomorrow!  celebratewee I can't wait. Does anyone else have ducklings coming tomorrow and does anyone have any tips on raising Harlequins (especially tips for maximum egg production?) I've always wanted Harlequins and I have only raised mallards. I can't wait for the glow of the brooder in my room at night celebrate

1 very sweet American Akita, 4 Mallards (2 in heaven RIP Cheese and Quackers), 4 Welsh Harlequins , 3 Khaki Campbells, 3 Calls (1 silver and 2 Blue Bibbed), 1 lazy 15 year old cat, 1 wild possum that lives under the barn, 2 guinea pigs (1 silkie and 1 white crested) , and 2 Betta fish.

Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change
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1 very sweet American Akita, 4 Mallards (2 in heaven RIP Cheese and Quackers), 4 Welsh Harlequins , 3 Khaki Campbells, 3 Calls (1 silver and 2 Blue Bibbed), 1 lazy 15 year old cat, 1 wild possum that lives under the barn, 2 guinea pigs (1 silkie and 1 white crested) , and 2 Betta fish.

Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change
Reply

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post #2 of 36
8/16/11 at 2:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by agregg15 

I have 4 Welsh Harlequin ducklings coming from Metzer tomorrow!  celebratewee I can't wait. Does anyone else have ducklings coming tomorrow and does anyone have any tips on raising Harlequins (especially tips for maximum egg production?) I've always wanted Harlequins and I have only raised mallards. I can't wait for the glow of the brooder in my room at night celebrate


Metzer has some good articles on their website about getting good egg production.... So does Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks(a must have for your 'library') Light (16-17 hours of light) and 16 - 18% protein feed with a vitamin/mineral supplement 1x a week.

2 Blue Swedish, 2 Cayuga, 7 Welsh Harlequin, 4 Indian Runners, 7 Saxony, 5 Muscovy, 5 Pilgrim geese, 5 American Buff geese, 2 Sebastopol geese, and a good sized flock of assorted chicken breeds(Barnevelder, Buckeye, EE, Lavender Orpington, Wellsummer, Black Australorp, Dark Brahma, and Production Reds).

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2 Blue Swedish, 2 Cayuga, 7 Welsh Harlequin, 4 Indian Runners, 7 Saxony, 5 Muscovy, 5 Pilgrim geese, 5 American Buff geese, 2 Sebastopol geese, and a good sized flock of assorted chicken breeds(Barnevelder, Buckeye, EE, Lavender Orpington, Wellsummer, Black Australorp, Dark Brahma, and Production Reds).

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post #3 of 36
8/16/11 at 2:32pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eroc1_1 
Quote:
Originally Posted by agregg15 

I have 4 Welsh Harlequin ducklings coming from Metzer tomorrow!  celebratewee I can't wait. Does anyone else have ducklings coming tomorrow and does anyone have any tips on raising Harlequins (especially tips for maximum egg production?) I've always wanted Harlequins and I have only raised mallards. I can't wait for the glow of the brooder in my room at night celebrate


Metzer has some good articles on their website about getting good egg production.... So does Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks(a must have for your 'library') Light (16-17 hours of light) and 16 - 18% protein feed with a vitamin/mineral supplement 1x a week.


Thanks smile I have been trying to convince myself to buy Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks. I'm a bit stingy though lol The feed my mallards are getting has the daily protein amount suggested. I'll check Metzer's website. Thanks again big_smile

1 very sweet American Akita, 4 Mallards (2 in heaven RIP Cheese and Quackers), 4 Welsh Harlequins , 3 Khaki Campbells, 3 Calls (1 silver and 2 Blue Bibbed), 1 lazy 15 year old cat, 1 wild possum that lives under the barn, 2 guinea pigs (1 silkie and 1 white crested) , and 2 Betta fish.

Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change
Reply
1 very sweet American Akita, 4 Mallards (2 in heaven RIP Cheese and Quackers), 4 Welsh Harlequins , 3 Khaki Campbells, 3 Calls (1 silver and 2 Blue Bibbed), 1 lazy 15 year old cat, 1 wild possum that lives under the barn, 2 guinea pigs (1 silkie and 1 white crested) , and 2 Betta fish.

Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change
Reply
post #4 of 36
8/16/11 at 2:50pm

Light has a lot to do with egg production. You can keep them laying through the winter with supplemental lighting. Even without it, mine only take Dec and Jan off. I usually give them a break and don't worry about the light.

7 quacking ducks, 5 spazzy quail, 3 lazy cats, 2 grown sons, 1 goofy husband... and no partridge, but I have a pear tree!
My micro-farm blog - www.bluefeatherfarm.blogspot.com
Duck pond and biofilter information- http://tinyurl.com/lfgeg9
The Double-Decker Brooder Thread- http://tinyurl.com/nf8zm5
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7 quacking ducks, 5 spazzy quail, 3 lazy cats, 2 grown sons, 1 goofy husband... and no partridge, but I have a pear tree!
My micro-farm blog - www.bluefeatherfarm.blogspot.com
Duck pond and biofilter information- http://tinyurl.com/lfgeg9
The Double-Decker Brooder Thread- http://tinyurl.com/nf8zm5
Reply
post #5 of 36
8/16/11 at 2:54pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wifezilla 

Light has a lot to do with egg production. You can keep them laying through the winter with supplemental lighting. Even without it, mine only take Dec and Jan off. I usually give them a break and don't worry about the light.


Thanks big_smile I'm just trying to figure out how I'm going to get light to their coop.....

1 very sweet American Akita, 4 Mallards (2 in heaven RIP Cheese and Quackers), 4 Welsh Harlequins , 3 Khaki Campbells, 3 Calls (1 silver and 2 Blue Bibbed), 1 lazy 15 year old cat, 1 wild possum that lives under the barn, 2 guinea pigs (1 silkie and 1 white crested) , and 2 Betta fish.

Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change
Reply
1 very sweet American Akita, 4 Mallards (2 in heaven RIP Cheese and Quackers), 4 Welsh Harlequins , 3 Khaki Campbells, 3 Calls (1 silver and 2 Blue Bibbed), 1 lazy 15 year old cat, 1 wild possum that lives under the barn, 2 guinea pigs (1 silkie and 1 white crested) , and 2 Betta fish.

Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change
Reply
post #6 of 36
8/16/11 at 8:24pm

I'm so jealous!  I have 3 WH and love em dearly.  They are such cute babies and grow into beauties!  Handle them as much as possible.  I had a broody chicken take care of them for the first 3 weeks.  After that i had them eating peas out of my hand but they still keep their distance from me to this day.  They want to be close enough for treats but not so close they'll get touched!  Have fun & post pics if you can! 
wee

Wife and mom to 3 cats, 4 dogs (3 retired Greyhounds and a Pyrenese Mix), 2 horses (AQHA & retired Thoroughbred), 2 indoor birds, 30 guineas,  50+ chickens 12 ducks & 2 Tufted Roman geese.

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Wife and mom to 3 cats, 4 dogs (3 retired Greyhounds and a Pyrenese Mix), 2 horses (AQHA & retired Thoroughbred), 2 indoor birds, 30 guineas,  50+ chickens 12 ducks & 2 Tufted Roman geese.

Reply
post #7 of 36
8/16/11 at 8:26pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by skya328 

I'm so jealous!  I have 3 WH and love em dearly.  They are such cute babies and grow into beauties!  Handle them as much as possible.  I had a broody chicken take care of them for the first 3 weeks.  After that i had them eating peas out of my hand but they still keep their distance from me to this day.  They want to be close enough for treats but not so close they'll get touched!  Have fun & post pics if you can! 
wee


I definitely will post pics and I'm gonna smother the little guys with love. big_smile

1 very sweet American Akita, 4 Mallards (2 in heaven RIP Cheese and Quackers), 4 Welsh Harlequins , 3 Khaki Campbells, 3 Calls (1 silver and 2 Blue Bibbed), 1 lazy 15 year old cat, 1 wild possum that lives under the barn, 2 guinea pigs (1 silkie and 1 white crested) , and 2 Betta fish.

Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change
Reply
1 very sweet American Akita, 4 Mallards (2 in heaven RIP Cheese and Quackers), 4 Welsh Harlequins , 3 Khaki Campbells, 3 Calls (1 silver and 2 Blue Bibbed), 1 lazy 15 year old cat, 1 wild possum that lives under the barn, 2 guinea pigs (1 silkie and 1 white crested) , and 2 Betta fish.

Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change
Reply
post #8 of 36
8/17/11 at 7:37am
Thread Starter 

Pics as promised big_smile

http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/85803_sany0958.jpg

http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/85803_sany0961.jpg

Then there's Elmo, my little drake. big_smile
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/85803_sany0957.jpg

1 very sweet American Akita, 4 Mallards (2 in heaven RIP Cheese and Quackers), 4 Welsh Harlequins , 3 Khaki Campbells, 3 Calls (1 silver and 2 Blue Bibbed), 1 lazy 15 year old cat, 1 wild possum that lives under the barn, 2 guinea pigs (1 silkie and 1 white crested) , and 2 Betta fish.

Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change
Reply
1 very sweet American Akita, 4 Mallards (2 in heaven RIP Cheese and Quackers), 4 Welsh Harlequins , 3 Khaki Campbells, 3 Calls (1 silver and 2 Blue Bibbed), 1 lazy 15 year old cat, 1 wild possum that lives under the barn, 2 guinea pigs (1 silkie and 1 white crested) , and 2 Betta fish.

Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change
Reply
post #9 of 36
8/17/11 at 7:39am

They are very cute, but the drakes are supposed to have dark beaks.

Jean
President of the Ameraucana Breeders Club/UOC Member - Disclaimer:  "Not all opinions made by me are the opinions of the ABC"

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Jean
President of the Ameraucana Breeders Club/UOC Member - Disclaimer:  "Not all opinions made by me are the opinions of the ABC"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reply
post #10 of 36
8/17/11 at 7:41am
Thread Starter 

pips&peeps :

They are very cute, but the drakes are supposed to have dark beaks.


Whoops lol that was the wrong picture. Elmo does have a dark bill.

1 very sweet American Akita, 4 Mallards (2 in heaven RIP Cheese and Quackers), 4 Welsh Harlequins , 3 Khaki Campbells, 3 Calls (1 silver and 2 Blue Bibbed), 1 lazy 15 year old cat, 1 wild possum that lives under the barn, 2 guinea pigs (1 silkie and 1 white crested) , and 2 Betta fish.

Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change
Reply
1 very sweet American Akita, 4 Mallards (2 in heaven RIP Cheese and Quackers), 4 Welsh Harlequins , 3 Khaki Campbells, 3 Calls (1 silver and 2 Blue Bibbed), 1 lazy 15 year old cat, 1 wild possum that lives under the barn, 2 guinea pigs (1 silkie and 1 white crested) , and 2 Betta fish.

Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change
Reply
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