Post Pictures Of Metzer Welsh Harlequins!

[chicken boy sam]

I was thinking of buying 1 male and 2 female welsh harlequin ducks from Metzer Farms because I REALLY like the breed and there minimum order is only 2!!!! I do know that they charge you extra, but I don't care. I've heard they're poor quality...

 

[percyj]

No way! I ordered my geese from them, I ordered 2 and they came perfectly healthy and wonderful. I'm getting some welshies from metzer as soon as we build their pen, which might take a while(we want it to be biiiig!) so if u decide 2 get them from metzer let me know how they turn out!!!!

 

[katharinad]

I've only heard good things about them. Strong and healthy birds all around. Perhaps not elite show quality, but still good birds. For show quality you have to go to Holderread and pay a lot more.

 

[CityChicker]

Quote:
Actually, that is not accurate about the prices. Holderread's is actually cheaper. The price for the normal Holderread quality Welsh Harlequin is only $4.00. Metzer's are $5.50. Holderread's ducklings from their show quality stock are a little more at $8.00, but I have never noticed *that* much difference between the regular and show quality stock in the day old birds anyway. All of their birds are good quality and meet the standard far more than typical hatchery quality. Even the normal priced WH from Holderread's are a world better than Metzer's in regards to how well they meet the breed standard.

Holderread's are done with ducklings for the year though. If a person doesn't care about how true to type the birds are, Metzer's birds are just fine. You will certainly get healthy, robust birds from Metzer's and they are great people to deal with.

 

[katharinad]

Thanks for correcting me. I was thinking of the elite quality adult ducks Holderread sells, because you really have to wait to see how they develop. You are absolute correct when it comes to day old pricing. I would buy from Holderread first and then from Metzer. Both produce good healthy birds.

 

[Pearsandgrapes]

Quote:
Actually, that is not accurate about the prices. Holderread's is actually cheaper. The price for the normal Holderread quality Welsh Harlequin is only $4.00. Metzer's are $5.50. Holderread's ducklings from their show quality stock are a little more at $8.00, but I have never noticed *that* much difference between the regular and show quality stock in the day old birds anyway. All of their birds are good quality and meet the standard far more than typical hatchery quality. Even the normal priced WH from Holderread's are a world better than Metzer's in regards to how well they meet the breed standard.

Holderread's are done with ducklings for the year though. If a person doesn't care about how true to type the birds are, Metzer's birds are just fine. You will certainly get healthy, robust birds from Metzer's and they are great people to deal with.

Does holderread's sex their day olds? I didn't realize their prices were less...but then the min order # is more then Metzer's, right? Hmmm, looking into getting more some day and I really want to try Welshies, as well as a few others. From what I have seen of pics, the Holderread birds are just stunningly beautiful, but I do like the option of knowing what I am getting gender wise...

 

[CityChicker]

You are definitely right about the whole show quality thing, Katharina. It is impossible to tell how they will turn out until they are grown. With Holderreads, your chances are very good that you will get a bird that closing meets the standard in either day old price range. If a person definitely wants show quality though, buying adults is the best way to go (although more expensive). Metzers are awesome people though and I have bought birds from them too. I just think their WH are one of their lower quality breeds.

 

[CityChicker]

Pears and Grapes- Unfortunately, Holderread's no longer sell sexed day old ducklings. They stopped doing that probably about five years ago. Their Welsh Harlequins do have the sex-linked bill color though and when I got mine, all ten of them were easily sexed as day olds. You do have to order a total of at least ten ducklings from them though (don't have to be the same breed, I just happened to get ten WH). By the time you pay all the fees for a small order though from some of the other hatcheries, you could have ordered ten from Holderread's. You might be able to sell the excess.

 

[chicken boy sam]

Any pictures? NOBODY HAS ANY FROM METZER FARMS?

 

[percyj]

I just want some good laying pets for me to love and I'm willing to pay 50 bucks for five females, no one near us has ducks so I can't sell extra and I want females only so I'm going with metzer