I cant believe what this guy said!

[poultry09]

I just e-mailed this guy about some welsh harlequins in Kansas (I live in Oregon) he had for sale and here is what he told me. He said that welsh harlequins are such big birds that it is not Worth it to ship them( due to their weight) and it would take 2 boxes to ship one hen and shipping would be about $100 a box. Then he said that harlequins are not good egg producers, then he tried to sell me some call ducks and I said no, and I told him that I will just go through Holderreads, then he cut me off and said to never go through them cause all their birds are crap and that's why they are cutting down on their breeds cause they are having a hard time selling their birds cause their quality is (excuse the language but its what he said) **** and everyone he has talked to that has ordered from them is very disappointed cause the quality is so poor. He then said that all the pictures you see of their birds are not what you will get (quality wise) and the reason that they discontinued the sebastopols is cause their had such failure with them due to the stiff feathers on the end of their wings. At that point I was so close to hanging up on him

and he kept going on about how terrible their birds are, then he said that If I want good quality birds to go through a hatchery or through him as they would be better quality than Holderreads then he tried to sell me one his call ducks and I said no not interested, then he told me that he has been breeding for so long that I should trust him and buy his birds at that point I said thanks for your time good bye and I hung up

so some one please tell me what you think, and if you have ever ordered from Holderreads please let me know what you think about the birds you have received and please post some pictures of the birds you have gotten from them

 

[Tahai]

Sounds like a combination of ignorance and sour grapes, combined with quite a bit of hot air.

 

[Sean S.]

Sounds like quite a expert!

Never ordered form Holderreads myself, but Dave's book of ducks, and geese have to be the best selling guides printed. They have lived to research and breed waterfowl, so I wouldn't think twice about it. He cutting back to retire, not for lack of sales. Taking care of my flock is a lot of work, I couldn't imagine the scope of their operation.

I can't imagine anyone that really cares about their ducks saying that about Holderreads! Sounds like someone who only cares about money from sales.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[poultry09]

that's what me and my mom thought. He also said that when they send out the catalog they have a brief summary of the shows their birds have placed in and he said that most of those shows are small town shows and don't have many water fowl entry's so those birds are automatically winners I almost told him to shut up

 

[poultry09]

Sounds like quite a expert!

Never ordered form Holderreads myself, but Dave's book of ducks, and geese have to be the best selling guides printed. They have lived to research and breed waterfowl, so I wouldn't think twice about it. He cutting back to retire, not for lack of sales. Taking care of my flock is a lot of work, I couldn't imagine the scope of their operation.
I can't imagine anyone that really cares about their ducks saying that about Holderreads! Sounds like someone who only cares about money from sales.
Good luck with your decision!

O I will never buy from this guy, as long as I have a choice I will alwase go through Holderreads

 

[desertdarlene]

I know people who have Holderread stock and they rave about them. Some even win ribbons in shows. The ducks I've seen from people who bought them look very high quality and bred to standards.

 

[poultry09]

Yea I think the guy was full of it and just wanted me to buy from him but I still cant believe he would say that about them. Holderreads puts a lot of work into thier birds and thats thier pride and joy thier whole life

that guy was making me so mad

 

[Oregon Blues]

He was right about one thing. It would cost you abut $100 to ship a pair of adult ducks.

I have 3 breeds from Holdeerread and they are all excellent quality. I've never seen his Calls, so can't say from personal experience, but it is hard to imagine that they are junk.

The Welsh Harlequins from Holderread are top quality.

I know a few show people who resent it that Holderread gets a lot of business and they have less, even though they have the same quality of birds. But Holderread has a good internet presence, so he is easy to find and easy to purchase from. As a generalization, show breeders can be difficult to locate.

I also know a couple of people who disapprove of Holderread's development of new breeds.

Since you live in Oregon, holderread is even a better source for you, since the birds won't have far to travel, Or you could go and pick them up.

 

[poultry09]

He was right about one thing. It would cost you abut $100 to ship a pair of adult ducks.

I have 3 breeds from Holdeerread and they are all excellent quality. I've never seen his Calls, so can't say from personal experience, but it is hard to imagine that they are junk.

The Welsh Harlequins from Holderread are top quality.

I know a few show people who resent it that Holderread gets a lot of business and they have less, even though they have the same quality of birds. But Holderread has a good internet presence, so he is easy to find and easy to purchase from. As a generalization, show breeders can be difficult to locate.

I also know a couple of people who disapprove of Holderread's development of new breeds.

Since you live in Oregon, holderread is even a better source for you, since the birds won't have far to travel, Or you could go and pick them up.

when he said $100 for shipping he was only talking about one welsh harlequin hen. He said that it is so much cause welsh harlequins are such huge birds and he told me not to get them if I am wanting them for egg production cause they are poor egg layers

I thought that harlequins where one of the best egg producers? and they where a small breed of duck? am I wrong about that?

 

[Rosebud 18]

I have a trio of harlequins and mine are small birds and very good layers. I got mine from Metzers in april, they started laying the first of sept. and have layed every day since. I ordered 10 runners from Holderreads last year and in my opinion (I'm by no means an expert) they are top quality.