Welsh Harlequin

[emjay]

here's some pics from yesterday. The gals are laying eggs like crazy now. yay and they are nice and tame. I absolutely love them.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Emjay thanks for posting the pics, your ducks are lovely!! It's always so nice to be able to look the beautiful ducks on this thread. Yours must really enjoy that natural swimming hole.
Looks like you have silver drakes and gold hens. How old are they?

 

[emjay]

Quote:
thankyou. They do love their pond. they beg to get out of the run each day. They are about 6 months old. I've had them a month now.

Looking forward to maybe hatching some offspring next spring.

 

[Big Dreamer]

Well here are the pics of the little ones after 2 weeks at their new home. there are some sunset pictures in there to just to let you see what we see in florida every evening on our canal. Also 1 of me texting that my half sister Erica took!!

Not the best pictures, but thats what i got!! Oh the Jack Russel is a girl split face and her name is Riplee!

shes a spazz, but i luv her!

 

[Dances with Ducks]

That was a lot of pics Dreamer!! I loved the Holloween bathtub the duckies have!
How do you like your little Harlequins? Are they very skittish for you? They look really inquisitive. I was just looking on the Metzer website and he says the Harlequins are the calmest ducks on his farm. That surprised me, I really would have thought the Pekins were calmer. Now you will be a expert on both breeds and can report to us all about it.
Youre scovies are really pretty, I would get one myself just for fun if I weren't so short on space and wanting to concentrate on breeding the best WH I can. That makes it hard to give up the favorites that I want to see what their offspring will look like and I wind up with too many ducks.

 

[Big Dreamer]

Well my WH were really skittish when i first got them, they were from a guy that was just selling them and kind of just fed and watered them, thats about it, no attention or anything. So yeah they were skittish, and still are, but not as much because im working with them and they are starting to know who is the food wagon and who gives them the spooky water tub! Its suprising, they climb up those steep steps into the tub and they have fun all day going in partners and taking turns!

 

[Big Dreamer]

Well i moved the ducklings to a different area that would give them more space and they are really feathering out, im still not sure if they are all oiled up enough for water, but im thinking about putting them in with the big ducks. ill post some pics to show mow much they grew and show you were they are now. I will whatch out to see if the water runs off of them to see if they are ready for the big pen...i thik they are 4-5 weeks old so when should i put them in with the bigger ones?they are really coming closer to me and i hope they arent loud, its really only in the morning and after school because they are hungry, they arent as afraid of me, but still skittish, how can i make them really friendly? just holding them or just being in their presence?

 

[Dances with Ducks]

When you put them in with the big ducks you need to be there to supervise a lot at first. Especially if there is swimming water in the area, that could provide an opportunity for drowning if the older ducks get too aggressive with them.

 

[Big Dreamer]

I know that, and i always do that, but i dont think they are completley water proof, and the scovies i have are only 3 months old and the pekin is about 9 months old, and non are breeding yet, but the WH are a lot smaller than the others so i would be worried about it, if i do put them in the big pen its ok if they have the kiddie pool because they have a tub rite now, so should i put them in with the big ducks?

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Big Dreamer maybe you should ask this question in a new thread, more people might see it and your question isn't actually so much about Welsh Harlequin but flock management.