Welsh Harlequin Breeding Thread - People who are breeding or want to breed their WH's talk

[Jessie620]

doyou think she's a gold or silver?

 

[Zombified]

doyou think she's a gold or silver?

Hey, Jessie, do you have a side picture? The most definite way to tell silver phase from gold phase is the wing bar. If the wing bar is blue, it's a silver phase. If the wing bar is bronze/brown, it's a gold phase.

Silver Phase Hen:


Gold Phase Hen:

 

[Zombified]

Woot! Erebus and Eris mated! I have a video of it, but not sure if I can post it here lol.

Eris is my gold phase hen, so hurray!

 

[WH fan]

Hi. I understand that WH drakes are very um... amorous... and one drake to 7-8
ducks is recommended. But I have had them in pairs mostly.

 

[Zombified]

Hi. I understand that WH drakes are very um... amorous... and one drake to 7-8
ducks is recommended. But I have had them in pairs mostly.

Really? That seems a bit much. I figured that, as they're a calmer breed, the drakes are less likely to be quite so amorous. Unfortunately, on our property, we are only permitted six fowl in total, and we have five. One drake and four hens. So far, our drake has been very polite and has not forced himself upon any of the girls.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Quote:
You should be fine. I have 2 boys and 4 girls and no problems, for several years now. My Anconas are about the same ratio.

 

[chickkrzi]

I was planning on getting some ducks but I was wanting to wait till spring before I purchase some. but I found these Welsh Harlequins on Craigslist. And for the price of $10 a head I couldn't pass them up. the guy that I got them from said they were about 11/2 yrs old and they free range of small acreage land. he only had the ducks for about 6 months. and they were his wife's ducks so he could tell me about the egg production and was thinking they just went through the molt. when examining each bird i check there pelvic bone ( just as I do with my hens) and found they had least three fingers gap between them ( is that wright for ducks ?) . And their wing feathers look clean and new so I believe him about the moat. their eyes and nasal area seem to be clear though I did see one that seemed to have a runny nose. there was no sign of the mites, all the birds seem to be quite healthy even had a little bit of fat between your legs. Sense I'm new to duck management I have a few questions. 1) After relocating the HW's how long would it be before they start laying again? 2) having a hard time getting them to sleep inside the chicken coop tonight. when I put them in, they just start to making a lot of noise and disrupt my hens. So I just let them sleep in the smaller pen just outside the coop. I've only had him since Saturday 8-5. So I'm thinking they won't settle in for at least another week or two before getting any eggs? 3) and whats the average distance between, pelvic bones for the average hen?
4) will the Drake only breed during breeding season or will I have fertile eggs year round?

Thanks In advance for your help.

 

[WH fan]

Ha! Good luck getting them to sleep in the house. I have found they will sleep where they want - mine have houses with straw and still a couple of them choose to sleep under the worm farm.

 

[hokankai]

Mine aren't free range, but I find them in their pen when I go to close it up at night.

 

[chickkrzi]

I've been going out and putting them in coop last three nights, then locking them in. We have lost chickens to owls. Last night I went out to put them up and they were in the coop already. Hoping they continue this routine.