Welsh Harlequin - do I have a pair rather than 2 ducks?

[Wynette]

I have an idea, don't say anything to dh then one morning when ducklings hatch tell him then that you suspect you may have a pair.

Except that they're not supposed to be broody...then again, they're supposed to both be females, too, so....I guess it could happen!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Except that they're not supposed to be broody...then again, they're supposed to both be females, too, so....I guess it could happen!

Oh i didn't know that, with having ducks that think being broody is just part of their lifestyle i forget there are others that aren't so much, but hey Pekins are going broody too and they aren't suppose to much. So you never know.

 

[Wynette]

Oh i didn't know that, with having ducks that think being broody is just part of their lifestyle i forget there are others that aren't so much, but hey Pekins are going broody too and they aren't suppose to much. So you never know.

And like I said......Murphy lives with us. He used to only visit on occasion; now, we are believing he has taken up residence.

 

[Miss Lydia]

And like I said......Murphy lives with us. He used to only visit on occasion; now, we are believing he has taken up residence.

Well you can have Murphy cause i sure don't want him.

 

[larkflying]

I have WH's from Metzers, and I have 3 broody ducks so far! I'm surprised since they are such good egg layers, but excited to have more ducklings. I think the first batch will be hatching sometime around the weekend, if i have the numbers correct.

 

[Oregon Blues]

You can not use bill and leg color with hatchery ducklings. They are often not to the SOP and could possibly have any color of bill or legs and not what the standard calls for.

I suggest that you wait until you can voice sex the ducklings. It shouldn't be too much longer.

 

[Tahai]

Also, at 5 weeks, I don't think bill color means much. I believe their bill colors change when hormones come into play later on. I have a 5 week old WH duckling with a bill just as yellow as yours, and she definitely quacks. Loud. I also have a drake with a black bill. He definitely mumbles.

In regards to WH being poor mothers, I think it depends on the line they come from. Holderread lists them as being in the range of poor to good. That's a lot of wiggle room. Metzer says his WH mothering qualities are good. In England, they are listed as being quite good mothers.

http://www.omniskies.com/duckwelsh.shtml - this is a good article with information about the WH breed on both sides of the pond.