Pekin vs Welsh Harlequin

[TLWR]

What is your preference of the 2 and why? I'm trying to select one (female) to bring in with my 2 existing female runners and raise it with the unknown sex of one of the runners that should hatch at school next week.

 

[Chicken Crazy12]

I've actually never owned either breeds, but if I were going to pick between the two I would go WH. WH are very pretty and are supposed to have a calm temperament. The pekins are just all white and very common. I guess I just like the not so common things better.

Sorry I couldn't give any experience with either breed, now if your talking Anconas that would be up my alley. Anyway, maybe this will bump up the thread and get some people with knowledge in both breeds to see this topic.

 

[featherfooted]

I've had both. Pekins are very loud. Mine never shut up. WH are very beautiful, calmer and very good layers. Of the two I liked the WH best.

 

[Apyl]

I have a Pekin and she is just awesome. But like the pervious posted mentioned they are noisy. She doesn't shut up. Even as she just wanders the property she makes noise and if she gets started or sees a predator flying above she quacks even louder. She is our gaurd duck for our chickens lol. Also I like the solid white look and how large she is.

 

[Oregon Blues]

What do you want the duck to do for you?

I've had Pekins and they are very fast growing large ducks. Mine were excellent layers and very quiet. They would chatter away and follow me when I was outside, but were not loud about it. After I sold my Pekins, the drake risked injury to himself to defend a flock of ducklings. Not something that drakes are known for, so his new home thinks he is the cat's pajamas.

Welsh Harlequins are known for their laying. I do not like the looks of the hatchery WH. Show quality WH are stunning to look at with their light plumage and dark bill. They are too small to be raised for Roast Duck but they lay lots of eggs.

 

[ChristineR]

I've had both as pets. I like both, but I prefer the Pekin personality. They are very calm and tame. Very funny to watch. I think you can't go wrong either way, though, Depends on what you're looking for.

 

[bigtrout]

Toss up...I have both and the pekins are very comical...come when called...and lay huge eggs. Mine lay well and almost keep up with my khaki campbells. The welsh are very pretty ducks...very calm but in my opinion they dont have quite the "personality" of the pekins. The welsh I have are excellent layers...just as good as my khakis.

So if the ducks will be more pets, a pekin girl would be a great addition. So would a welsh. Pretty vs personality? I like both breeds but my favorite duck in my flock of 21 pekins, khakis and welshes has to be my largest pekin girl. She's the leader of the flock. Where she goes so does the flock and my pekin girl happens to come when called. That alone makes it easy when i want to get them into the run or coop.

As far as noise, the pekins chatter more but when they do quack its not any louder than the welshes or khakis. Its a deeper quack vs a sharper higher pitched quack. You decide what you may like better.

 

[zooweemama]

I have 6 unknown breeds as of yet and 4 Pekins. They are all 2 weeks old and the Pekins are twice the size of the others are stinking hilarious. They are not as messy or as loud as the others (I suspect the 'others' are harlequins and cayugas). I got the 4 Pekins ONLY because I was trying to buy my 12 and they only had Pekins and Mallards left and I did not want a Mallard so I grudgingly bought 4 Pekins. They are very plain but what they lack in show they make up for in personality. The Pekins get really silly together too- the other ducklings don't do that (or at least yet). Mind you I have only had mine for 2 weeks so I cannot comment on laying or anything. The Harlequins are so gorgy though I did order 2 females to try out. (i get them end of month)

 

[TLWR]

Think he will notice if there are 2 ducks for me??
I still can't decide.
I want a pekin. But I don't want the loud mouth. But I can't have a male pekin as my runners are girls and that's just too big a boy for them.
I would like a quiet, calm, friendly duck - that also lays pretty well. My runners are reasonably calm and reasonably friendly, but calmer and friendly would be nice.

We are hopefully hatching some runners next week at school. I plan to take ONE of them home. But I need another to raise with it and may as well make it a girl so I have 3 to 1 if the ONE runner happens to be a boy. And part of me wants to order 2 for me just in case we don't have a successful hatch and NOTHING hatches.

5 ducks total doesn't sound too bad, but I have 2 now and 5 seems like way more, so still undecided. (I'm ordering a duckling for my coworker as well so she will know she has a female egg layer and she can figure out what to do about any boys she happens to bring home from school - so no worry on needing to order 2 for me, 2 will be arriving anyway)

 

[zooweemama]

Think he will notice if there are 2 ducks for me??
I still can't decide.
I want a pekin. But I don't want the loud mouth. But I can't have a male pekin as my runners are girls and that's just too big a boy for them.
I would like a quiet, calm, friendly duck - that also lays pretty well. My runners are reasonably calm and reasonably friendly, but calmer and friendly would be nice.

We are hopefully hatching some runners next week at school. I plan to take ONE of them home. But I need another to raise with it and may as well make it a girl so I have 3 to 1 if the ONE runner happens to be a boy. And part of me wants to order 2 for me just in case we don't have a successful hatch and NOTHING hatches.

5 ducks total doesn't sound too bad, but I have 2 now and 5 seems like way more, so still undecided. (I'm ordering a duckling for my coworker as well so she will know she has a female egg layer and she can figure out what to do about any boys she happens to bring home from school - so no worry on needing to order 2 for me, 2 will be arriving anyway)

What I notice about the Pekins vs my others so far is that over all the Pekins are actually quieter than the others when nothing's going on. Get them excited and they can get loud. Reminds me of a dog. The other ones just squeak more randomly and frequently over all but the Pekins when excited can be quite loud. I considered getting a pair of geese but maybe the Pekins will do for now? haha