Let me know what you think about my Silver Welsh Harlequins!

[americanchicks]

I have never showed or bred birds for show before. I have decided to give it a try with WH. Right now I have 28 a mix of ducklings, juveniles, and adults. Im going to have to choose which ones im going to use for show/breeding. Want to ask your opinion on 3 young ducks that I have.

This one I got from a farm store so is hatchery stalk. She is very pretty but Im thinking lacking too much color, also has yellow feet not brown. As well as her iridescent feathers are on the greenish side, blue is the standard right?

I also got her from the same store. She has more coloring and the brown feet but thinking feathers are too dark? Also has greenish iridescent feathers.

This little lady I bred myself. I think she is the best out of the 3. What do you all think?

Thanks for reading. Will post more birds down the line.

 

[ibarbidahl]

Of the 3 the last one is best, but she is too upright and not finished growing. She's got 1 more molt prior to being in her adult plumage. I bet she turns out fine if she stops standing upright.

You said you had 28? It looks like you've got a few crosses as well. The only way you are going to breed better WH is to start picking your breeders and get them separated from the rest of the flock. You should start by evaluating both the ducks and the drakes to determine what to breed in order to get the coloration that is SOP. We show WH and the darker heads don't get mentions. Only the fawn or lighter heads do.

 

[americanchicks]

Of the 3 the last one is best, but she is too upright and not finished growing. She's got 1 more molt prior to being in her adult plumage. I bet she turns out fine if she stops standing upright.

You said you had 28? It looks like you've got a few crosses as well. The only way you are going to breed better WH is to start picking your breeders and get them separated from the rest of the flock. You should start by evaluating both the ducks and the drakes to determine what to breed in order to get the coloration that is SOP. We show WH and the darker heads don't get mentions. Only the fawn or lighter heads do.

Thanks for the reply. I was thinking the head was too dark as well. I was reading the standards at it says the head should not be darker than the rest of the body.

My breeders consist of 4 ducks and 2 drakes. My ducks Im not worried about. They look wonderful as far as I can tell the drakes are another matter. One seemed a little small to me and the second I got from someone who called him a Rouen but obviously he is not and they had WH walking around. Other ducks as well so he could have something else in him. Finding a good drake has been hard.

I hatched 4 batches of ducklings from the 4 ducks and 2 drakes. I had the ducks isolated in a pen with one drake for the first 2 clutches. I then switched out the drakes and waited 2 weeks before collecting eggs. Then hatched 2 more batches with that drake. I want to see if any ducklings grow to best represent the SOP.

I have since rehomed both drakes. Im hoping to find a wonderfully awesome drake. I just cant find any WH breeders here in WA state.

 

[Stipenvlerk]

You’ve some cute duckies Good luck with breeding!

 

[Isaac 0]

They are simply gorgeous!