Welsh Harlequin

[Muse7]

Oops, missed the part about 7 weeks. You should definitely be able to voice sex at this point.

Liz

 

[chickkrzi]

Hi everyone. So we got a Welsh Harlequin duckling a few weeks ago from mcMurray.. They only had straight run so we were not sure what we were getting. When it got to us it had a yellow beak with a dark tip so we assumed it was a hen, but now we are not sure anymore It's 7 weeks old now, and it's beak is bright yellow as you can see in the picture. While some of the other breeds we got have started quacking, this one hasn't. It's still chirping though so I can't say it's definitely a raspy drake quack. Does anyone have experience with Welsh Harlequin and is it too early to figure out the sex? I believe we'll keep it no matter what, but depending on its sex we'll have to switch our Rouen Drakeling with a Hen (we'd like to avoid having 2 drake for 5 hens). Thanks a lot

Dark head, orange feet, dark feathers along back. I'm thinking drake.

 

[subhanalah]

Hi everyone. So we got a Welsh Harlequin duckling a few weeks ago from mcMurray.. They only had straight run so we were not sure what we were getting. When it got to us it had a yellow beak with a dark tip so we assumed it was a hen, but now we are not sure anymore It's 7 weeks old now, and it's beak is bright yellow as you can see in the picture. While some of the other breeds we got have started quacking, this one hasn't. It's still chirping though so I can't say it's definitely a raspy drake quack. Does anyone have experience with Welsh Harlequin and is it too early to figure out the sex? I believe we'll keep it no matter what, but depending on its sex we'll have to switch our Rouen Drakeling with a Hen (we'd like to avoid having 2 drake for 5 hens). Thanks a lot

I think she could still totally turn around in the way she looks and that what you have is probably a she? Time will tell.

 

[arnaudgf]

Sorry yes, the picture may have been confusing, the one in the back is a goldstar hybrid

From the color of the bill I feel like it may be a drake indeed (even if the pictures I found online show a lot of different colors for the welsh harlequins).

We have been trying to voice sex it, no quack, but it's still chirping, it's not a raspy drake voice either (but I do have little experience in drake voice to be honest )

I guess we can only wait and see. We don't want to be left with no drake so maybe we will take a risk and may end up with 2 drakes for 5 hens. Or wait a little before we decide which of our Rouens stay in the pen and which go to the butcher ( we got four of them to have flexibility depending on the sex of the harlequin).

 

[subhanalah]

Maybe you km just need to order more hens? Metzer and I think hlHolderread will sell ad little as two, but etzers sells them sexed.

 

[arnaudgf]

7 ducks total is our limit for now
We are just trying to work around the Welsh sex since McMurray only had straight runs (next time we may order from Metzer).
It's not a huge deal, I was just curious about experienced Welsh Harlequin owner experience.
This boy/girl is my favorite of the group for now, so no matter the sex, we'll keep it

 

[seasprite]

I'm crossing my fingers for a girl for you! I have two Saxonies who the breeder believed were a boy and a girl at 7 weeks, because one wasn't nearly as loud as the others. She had a lot of experience with WHs but these were her first Saxony babies. Turns out one was just kind of quiet - now (thankfully!) I have two loud quacking girls!

So I'm thinking maybe your duck is a mix, and that's why she has features that don't quite fit with a female WH? I think mine is a gold-phase WH, but may be mixed too. I know she's a girl now because she started laying eggs three days ago. Yay!

Here she is, for comparison. Her name is Satski. Same yellow beak and legs as yours, I think, but no dark head..


(Satski, with the 11 week old Saxonies in back - Lucky and Chichikukuyama)





Isn't she just the cutest?

I got her another silver WH as a friend, since the Saxonies are sisters and are really close (and huge!) Here she is for comparison..


My daughter named her WiggleTail

 

[subhanalah]

Welsh harlequin feathering takes a drastic change when they get their adult plumage. They appear to switch genders.

 

[aurora14]

I'm crossing my fingers for a girl for you! I have two Saxonies who the breeder believed were a boy and a girl at 7 weeks, because one wasn't nearly as loud as the others. She had a lot of experience with WHs but these were her first Saxony babies. Turns out one was just kind of quiet - now (thankfully!) I have two loud quacking girls!

So I'm thinking maybe your duck is a mix, and that's why she has features that don't quite fit with a female WH? I think mine is a gold-phase WH, but may be mixed too. I know she's a girl now because she started laying eggs three days ago. Yay!

Here she is, for comparison. Her name is Satski. Same yellow beak and legs as yours, I think, but no dark head..



She looks like she is smiling

(Satski, with the 11 week old Saxonies in back - Lucky and Chichikukuyama)





Isn't she just the cutest?

I got her another silver WH as a friend, since the Saxonies are sisters and are really close (and huge!) Here she is for comparison..


My daughter named her WiggleTail

 

[seasprite]

Ha! I'm sure she was - I had a bag of peas! That's her "PEAS!!!" face

She looks like she is smiling