Welsh Harlequin

[Hunter0704]

They should get along fine. Only thing is you need to have more than one duck. They need a companion and how ever many ducks you get, they will stick together. They love human contact and enjoy your talking to them. I have three WH girls and with the weather being so cold lately, I don't spend a lot of time with them. Well, yesterday they all quacked and quacked when I went out to give them fresh water, so I decided I really needed to spend some time talking to them. They came near me and we had a great conversation. Ha! Ha! Then they were happy and I got to run back inside the house and warm up. I absolutely love my girls!!!

 

[kikidee]

Hey guys I really am considering getting a WH with a Cayuga for pets (both drakes). Just one of each. I have been told great things about WH but I want a duck that will be sweet, and not be afraid of me. My old cayugas let me pet them but I wanted to try one new breed of duck that will be just as sweet. So are WH really skittish, even if raised since day two with only one other duckling? (Possibly I might separate them as babies for periods of time).

 

[poultry09]

ok I am kinda confused does holderread have multiple colors of welsh harlequin?

also what is the difference between +Welsh Harlequin and +Silver appleyard both breeds look alike

 

[Oregon Blues]

WH come in two color phases that look nearly identical. That's your options for color. Holderread has both.

WH and Appleyards look nothing alike. The Appleyards are much larger, stockier built, and have darker plumage. The Appleyard drakes and some of the ducks have silver frosting down their front and throat. Bill color is different. WH have a very distinctive, very dark, nearly black bill which would be incorrect on an Appleyard.

My Appleyards are beyond calm natured. Sometimes I have to reach down and give them a shove when I am trying to herd them.

 

[poultry09]

ok i must not be looking at the right pictures sorry.

with holderreads do yo get to chose between the two colors or is it luck of the draw cause on thier web sit i only seen welsh harlequin and not color choices like many of thier other breeds

sorry for all the questions

 

[Tahai]

It's luck of the draw.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

You can call the Holderreads or email them to let them know what you want. They are really nice so don't hesitate.
I know people who have gotten the specific WH colors they asked for, although they don't sex their ducklings like some of the hatcheries do.

 

[poultry09]

actual i just got off the phone with them and they said when i order to specify what color i want and they will send me that color of duckling. they are so great to deal with and friendly as long as i have the money they are the only place i will mail-order ducks and geese

 

[Dances with Ducks]

For those of you who've had both Welsh Harlequins and Khaki Campbells.... are the WHs really that much more mellow and friendly? My only complaint with my Campbells is they are kind of nervous and stand-offish. I fostered a Pekin for a while last year, and really enjoyed his personality.

Thanks for the unbiased opinions, here in the "I Love My Perfect Welsh Harlequins" thread!

Bryan

I've only had a few Khaki Campbells, but raised more Welsh Harlequin than I've ever stopped to count at this point. I didn't like the Campbells because they would just start quacking for no reason so much, even when all the other ducks seemed content. Actually I have to say I find my other breeds of ducks are much mellower than my Welsh Harlequin by comparison. My most mellow are my Magpies, then the Saxony and Cayugas. The Welsh Harlequin and Runners are both much more skittish, but make up for it in spades by being better layers. It could be that because I keep my WH in a flock of six they get more into a "borg" state of mind, and the other breeds I just have in pairs that kind of get shuffled into different houses and pens so they are more used to having to adapt as individuals. But even as ducklings the Welsh were much more skittish than the Pekins, Saxonys, Cayugas, Magpies, and White Layers I hatched, so I do think it is a breed thing. I do raise them with other ducks and don't treat them like pets, not to say I see anything wrong with doing that.
I have had a few families who took my Welsh Harlequin ducklings and raved about how sweet they were. They were handled a lot, usually sitting in the laps of children for long periods so they bonded with them. As adult ducks they would follow these children around and would even sit on their laps although they didn't like the picking up part of it. These same ducks were very frightened of other people though.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Just had to share this funny little story!
I have some WH eggs listed on ebay.
Apparently somebody flagged the listing and it was removed for VIOLATING THE MIGRATORY BIRD ACT.
Ebay does NOT believe me that they are not the Harlequin sea bird. Where the hell would I get sea bird eggs in Tennessee?

They didn't even READ my listing- just saw the word "harlequin" in the title. See what happens when they outsource!?!?!?!

Anyway- fresh pics.