Quality of these Welsh Harlequins??

[Wifezilla]

Yup...gold WH girls in the top photo...a silver in the bottom. The drake in the top photo is a handsome silver. That white ring should go all the way around his neck. A broken neck ring is a fault. And yup...that rouen looks like a young male just starting to get a nice green sheen on his head. He looks just like my Bungie did at that age.

 

[emjay]

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thankyou for the interesting read. they are a very pretty bird.

 

[emjay]

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are they both common, gold and silvers? and which seems to be the most popular, or desired color?

so, breeding a silver to a gold hen, babies grow up to be ........ ?

I will check the ring around his neck when I get him. there are two drakes, three hens.

as well, are harlequins members of the mallard family, as I read that breeding mallards to muscovy, sterility?? is that true?

 

[Wifezilla]

Not exactly sure how the genetics work on the colors but I do know you can get gold or silver from 2 silver parents. In my area people seem to prefer the silver drakes but nobody seems to care what color the girls are...just that they are hens and will lay lots of eggs

And yes, WH are a mallard derived breed. If they did mate with a muscovy anything hatching out would be sterile.

 

[emjay]

well, I'm glad my soon to be new fella is a silver. not sure what the other boy looks like. will post pics as soon as I get them home.


I've been reading every website I can find with info on Welsh ducks. several stated they are 'predator dumb'. in not those exact words , but, that same meaning.

are they not as smart as some other breeds?

and are they big wanderers??

they don't fly either, right?

last minute questions, just for peace of mind.

like an anxious new mom.

 

[Wifezilla]

They don't fly worth a darn. As for predators, my drakes do sound an alarm wherever they see something suspicious. My only predator loses were to a hawk.

 

[FenDruadin]

They look really pretty! Do you know where she gets her babies from? The hatchery or breeder they come from will tell you a lot about their true quality. But from the pictures, they look really beautiful (first picture, I mean). I agree about the second picture--nothing wrong with the ducks in it, they're pretty and probably wonderful ducks, but there's nothing special about them and yes, the rouen looks like a boy.

And yes, they are horrendously predator dumb. I have to bribe mine into a safe enclosure at night with their dinner, or they would sit out on the back lawn all night inviting all the many local predators to dinner. I think there's an expression about sitting ducks, and I know exactly where it comes from.

Also, they are not very agile. Which means their fencing can be quite low--a one-foot barrier keeps mine out of the garden (but not the geese, so once I got guardian geese I had to come up with something higher), and they won't challenge their fencing. But it also means they need help getting up and down. Ramps do the trick, but they need to be wide and provide traction. But don't worry--you'll figure stuff out as you go if you just pay attention. Enjoy!