Welsh Harlequin Breed Club

[IowaBlueCurt]

This thread is designed to accomplish two main critera-

1) Organize breeders of Welsh Harlequins who are interested and dedicated to the development of a breed club for the Welsh Harlequin.

2) Once interested parties have come together, to establish a club, set up a website, and establish club officials.

If you are interested in participating in this groudbreaking work, please join this chat.

I would like to see breeders come together to support the Silver Welsh Harlequin, gain acceptance in the SOP for the Gold Harlequin, and promote the establishment of new varieties (ex. Blue Harlequin, Lavendar Harlequin, etc.) Obviously our focus would be on the two varieties we currently have and the promotion of both would be of the highest priority. I envision a club where the Silver and Gold Harlequins are supported and promoted, while at the same time new visionaries for the breed can call the club "home". If this sounds like something you're intersted in, let's begin!

So, are you in?

 

[richie1]

my drake that im showing this month in the uk in builth wells national show

 

[lakota_elder]

I'm interested in forming a club also. If the members strive towards breeding for the standard. And loads of photos of all ages of ducks to guide the breeders to quality end results. I'd even pay for and create the website for the first year, then members pay for the website and I'll still maintain it for free. I've been using siteground and you can get an idea of how versitile it can be by going to HTTP://Native-American-Academy.com to check it out.

My first batch of Harlequins were local bought from a craigslist ad. Way below standard with the hens being almost white with a few markings. Sad part is I really liked the light marking on a snowy background. Got hooked on prolific egg production.

Bought second batch from Mertzer and sold the first batch so there would be no cross breeding. No choice of silver or gold. What I got was all silver with no consistancy of color or patterns. Some really lite colored.

Third batch from Holderreads standard choice all siver. I was happy with this bunch as they reproduced like quality and great on egg production. But then I decided I also wanted gold.

Most recent batch 12 top show quality, 6 silver and 6 gold. I am amazed at the difference. While some of the 12 look just like the standard bunch I bought the ones who stand out really stand out. The males all have brilliant markings and look like they have been stamped. I have 6 males and will only need two so I will be selling 4. They are so alike that I won't be waiting til full maturity but will sell them after the holidays. And let buyers have their pick. Almost all the hens have gotten the blackish bills and now the legs have started to darken.

In a couple months I will be selling all the eggs til I get my pens done to seperate the colors.

So if your serious to buy TSQ harlequins I'd go to Holderreads. Save time and $$ and start at the top. You can always sell the extras or get together and split the costs.

I'm a definite go on the club. Just contact me if you get started.

 

[RyanJon]

Has anything ever come from this thread? Sorry for digging up an old post.. But I'm hoping to acquire some TSQ stock from Holderreads in the near future and I'm really interested in preserving the breed, restoring and/or bringing to life a quality breed, and showing. If anyone else is seriously interested as I can't find anything pertaining to any sort of America based breed club, please.. PM me or reply here. I'd be willing to get the ball rolling, even before I have the breed. It seems like this thread kind of fizzled out. I'd like some fellow do-ers to help. This is a dying, short lived breed listed as critically endangered.

 

[kswaterfowl]

Possibly, I see little point in promoting any other varieties until both varieties they are currently in are both accepted and shown. We are promoting golds heavily currently and have a backing already from other breeders and even brought up the topic of standardization with the IWBA. Currently our goals are mainly still working with the silvers but promote and improve our golds. As long as it doesn't go off the deep end with new varieties L&R, we are interested.

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Currently I'm only raising the Golds and showing them here in Iowa with the hope of increasing awareness of the variety. I obtained my stock from Holderread's show line and the few I saved back are very nice. Typey and colored well. I would like to see a club really focus on the Silver and Gold personally. There is A LOT of misconception about what a Welsh should look like, and I think this is where a club could come in real handy to help dispell misconceptions. What we are seeing from hatcheries is nothing but a "snowy" in standard size. If we were to start up a club we could use the website to educate breeders and new comers to the breed on what they should be looking for in the Welsh. What are you thoughts on that?

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

You mentioned you have a backing of other breeders, is this something they would be interested in helping to create? Would you be willing to direct them to this thread or contact them about their potential participation?

 

[richie1]

they look lovely i love welsh harls but trust me the gold type are the proper harls .im welsh by the way ive heard so many storys our harls just won 1st place in builth wells in the uk.i know they need all the help they can get atm thats why we are registered keepers of them in the uk.

edited by staff

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Welcome aboard! I personally prefer the gold phase and have enjoyed raising them for a couple years now. Unfortunately in the US there are many "welsh harlequins" that do not resemble the color or type at all, and it seems at the moment that most are of this unfinished type.

 

[birdlilly]

Hello, I am a new raiser of ducks. I like the idea of saving the Welsh Harlequin duck breed and they are great utility birds. I have 3 WH ducks and 1 drake which I purchased from Metzer farms last spring. I live in the city. I figure I could keep up to 8 ducks, in 2 groups with my current setup. I have hatched some eggs in an incubator and now have some ducklings as well which I will have to select breeders from. I am not sure how devoted I can be but I did take the time to join the Backyard chicken community to join this discussion... so that should count for something. I used to breed rabbits so am somewhat familiar with breeding techniques and terms.