Is there such a thing as Welsh-Harlequin-colored runners? Yellow WH? Can I bill-sex this way?

[PaulX]

Hello,

I know it's still too early to tell, but I'm concerned I might end up with 4 drakes as among my 5 runners only 1 has a distinctly female sound at 29 days old. The other 4 still don't sound anywhere like females at all, and 1 even sounds like drakeling if I'm correct.

However, I noticed my previously totally yellow duckling is starting to develop feathers, and the feathers are pale (almost white), with some brown. It was born with an orangish bill with dark tip, which transformed to pinkish bill with dark tip, and then a dark pink, and then for a while now a very dark colored bill. The emerging feathers and the bill color screams 'Welsh Harlequin' from what I read.

I'm wondering if there's such a thing as Welsh-Harlequin-colored runners? Can Welsh Harlequin ducklings be totally yellow? And can I bill-sex this little fella? If so, is it safe to say this one's a female? I really hope it is.

Here is 'her' a few hours after birth.

And then at 5 days old, starting to look pinkish instead of orangish (top left)

11 days old, getting darker (front)

15 days old, completely dark (the yellow one facing the camera)

And today 29 days old, he/she is already growing Welsh-Harlequin-like feathers.

What do you think? Is it safe to say she's a female? I really wish I have at least 2 females from these 5, and preferably I hope to have this Welsh-Harlequin-runner female!

 

[Table4Six]

Beautiful ducklings. As you said, it really is too early to be sure of gender. The Welsh Harlequin color is known in the runner world as Trout. Unfortunately, I do not believe that is the color of your bird, it looks to be buff.

 

[Duckworth]

I have Welsh Harlequins, not runners, and my female ducklings started off with the pinkish bills with the dark spot, then slowly changed to a purpley color before going either olive green or yellow/orange with olive green. The ducklings started off mostly yellow with dusky tops of their heads.

All turned out to be silver phase females

 

[Table4Six]

I have Welsh Harlequins, not runners, and my female ducklings started off with the pinkish bills with the dark spot, then slowly changed to a purpley color before going either olive green or yellow/orange with olive green. The ducklings started off mostly yellow with dusky tops of their heads.
View attachment 1709034
View attachment 1709033

All turned out to be silver phase females
View attachment 1709036

Beautiful birds. I have only one Welsh Harlequin hen, but I believe she is golden phase.

 

[Tannerpauldean]

I have had several buff runners, and they always had dark-colored bills and legs right from the hatch. The buff coloring on runners has always been a favorite of mine, so if that is what you have consider yourself lucky. If not, I can't wait to see how this little one turns out!
Buff runner at 17 days:

As far as the WH is concerned, my welshies were much darker than this by 29 days, and even the females had dark-colored heads, like you would see in a drake.
Welsh harlequin at 24 days: (the 3 smaller ducklings in foreground - closest to camera is a female)

 

[Table4Six]

I have had several buff runners, and they always had dark-colored bills and legs right from the hatch. The buff coloring on runners has always been a favorite of mine, so if that is what you have consider yourself lucky. If not, I can't wait to see how this little one turns out!
Buff runner at 17 days:
View attachment 1709066

As far as the WH is concerned, my welshies were much darker than this by 29 days, and even the females had dark-colored heads, like you would see in a drake.
Welsh harlequin at 24 days: (the 3 smaller ducklings in foreground - closest to camera is a female)
View attachment 1709067

Would other color options be Saxony or Pastel? The feathers I see coming in are buff.

 

[PaulX]

From @Tannerpauldean's photo and google photos I don't think my baby is buff colored. My baby's emerging wing and tail feathers seem to be a mix of white and buff, seems to be 2/3 white and 1/3 buff, i.e., it looks trout to me. But I understand it's not supposed to be pure yellow as duckling?

 

[Tannerpauldean]

I wonder, too, if it will be a true color variety or a mix of a couple colors. With runners, there are so many color combinations possible!

 

[Tannerpauldean]

From @Tannerpauldean's photo and google photos I don't think my baby is buff colored. My baby's emerging wing and tail feathers seem to be a mix of white and buff, seems to be 2/3 white and 1/3 buff, i.e., it looks trout to me. But I understand it's not supposed to be pure yellow as duckling?

A lot of fawn and whites can look pure yellow when they are ducklings, but their bills are not usually dark. Otherwise that would be my best guess.

 

[Duckworth]

Beautiful birds. I have only one Welsh Harlequin hen, but I believe she is golden phase.
View attachment 1709064
View attachment 1709065

A gold phase WH will have bronze flight feathers, rather than the blue/teal I see on yours and mine. The breed standard in the US is for silver phase, while I understand that it is for gold phase in the U.K. I don't show my ducks, so I don't keep up to date on breed standards and my girls are not from one of the hatcheries known for the best bloodlines. I got them because of their reputation as good layers, which they have been, and because they are beautiful and good-natured.