Welsh Harlequin Duck colouring help

[Spuddling]

Help…
I have hatched 8 Welsh Harlequin ducklings and they are now all 4 months old. I have already clearly identified the 2 drakes from the batch and I believe I have 6 hens left however they are very different colours so I’m wondering which of the 2 colours are the more “pure” Harlequin colouring and what on earth happened to the other 3
3 are quite brown and almost Mallard looking
3 are very white and have a creamy coloured head.
Thoughts?

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Where were they sourced from? I only had three hens and a drake (we lost) but they are basically all three white. One has a bit more brown on her neck than the others, then one is medium, and one is the lightest, but none of them look brown like mallard hens.

 

[Amer]

The lighter ones are more correct, and the others look like light phase mallards? Not sure how that could happen.

 

[Spuddling]

I think the mother may not have been pure then, I mean they are all lovely birds and I will keep them all for eggs but I will only hatch eggs from those white ones down the line to try get them all back to the lighter colour.
Thanks for the help!

 

[HollowOfWisps]

The welsh harlequin breed developed from a mutation in color caused by two recessive genes in khaki Campbells. Genetically if you were to compare the two they are almost the same with the exception of the welsh harlequin having the harlequin gene. There are Gold and Silver varieties with females showing varying amounts of the fawn shading. Essentially they are the wild genotype with the dusky, brown dilution and harlequin phase which creates the “snowy” color. I believe what you are seeing is more of the dusky gene showing through. Also something to note is that female Welsh Harlequins will go through different shade changes with each molt especially within the first year. My snowy colored females have all lightened up over the years with each molt.

Khaki Campbell color genetics:

mdmd Li+Li+ e+e+ bl+bl+ C+C+ B+B+ r+r+d- Bu+-

Welsh Harlequin (Silver phase) Genetics:
M+M+ lihlih e+e+ bl+bl+ C+C+ B+B+ r+r+D+- Bu+-

Welsh Harlequin (Gold Phase) Gentics:
mdmd lihlih e+e+ bl+bl+ C+C+ B+B+ r+r+ d- Bu+-

 

[Floof]

There are also silver and gold phase welsh harlequins. I didn't look too closely but something to consider

 

[Amer]

There are also silver and gold phase welsh harlequins. I didn't look too closely but something to consider

All of them are silver, based on the speculum.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

My girls all have black feet, too, not orange.

 

[KimberBee]

My girls all have black feet, too, not orange.

my girls feet have changed as they have aged. they stared out orange.. thenw ere so specked with black that they almost looked greenish... then went to black. (except one holdout.)