Welsh Harlequin ducklings in Michigan?

[Meca]

Do Welsh Harlequin lay later in the summer? I would be interested in some towards the end of summer. I think they are stunning birds and have been looking for a reputable breeder of them for about a month.

 

[Meca]

I forgot to mention I would either be interested in Hatching eggs or live birds.

 

[DucksnDaffodils]

My ducks lay all summer long and into the fall/early winter. And I have been thinking about offering hatching eggs as well. This is my first year doing this, so I wouldn't call myself a "breeder" per say. But I only collect eggs from my best colored/breed type hens, and I just have a small flock that I can control that in. But you would have to be close enough to me, because I won't ship eggs or ducklings.

 

[Meca]

Where are you located?

 

[Meca]

Nevermind. Lapeer is only a couple of hours from me.

 

[Meca]

If I get down that way I'll see if you will have any available.

 

[russellsthree]

DucksnDaffodils, how are your WH hatchlings? I too am in Michigan and have a small herd of Welsh Harlequins. They are more than 3 years old and still each lay an egg a day, every day, except in the deepest winter. This last year, they quit for about 4 weeks total. This is better than any chicken that I have ever known. I normally have a friend hatch a batch for me every year and sell the babies, keeping a couple, but this year I borrowed the incubator and have been trying (so far unsuccessfully) to get a live hatch myself. very frustrating. I am looking for help on another thread for that and will probably try again this summer.

 

[DucksnDaffodils]

DucksnDaffodils, how are your WH hatchlings? I too am in Michigan and have a small herd of Welsh Harlequins. They are more than 3 years old and still each lay an egg a day, every day, except in the deepest winter. This last year, they quit for about 4 weeks total. This is better than any chicken that I have ever known. I normally have a friend hatch a batch for me every year and sell the babies, keeping a couple, but this year I borrowed the incubator and have been trying (so far unsuccessfully) to get a live hatch myself. very frustrating. I am looking for help on another thread for that and will probably try again this summer.

Yes, I love ducks! My 5 lay consistently every single day, but they did take I think almost 2 months this past winter off completely. They are only 1 year old, so we will see how they do as they get older. Have you had any of yours go broody? Mine haven't yet, but I have heard it is a breed trait.

With the incubation, the first time every incubating ducks was with WH eggs that I bought locally. I had 18 eggs, I think 11 or so were fertile, and I only had 4 that made it to hatch, and of those 4, 1 didn't make it out of shell, another died within 2 days. I thought that it was just ducks, and vowed to never do it again. But, I tried last year with my own Pekin eggs, after studying about it, and to my surprise..... every. single. one. of my 12 eggs were fertile, and hatched BY THEMSELVES! I was shocked. This spring I did it again with Pekin and WH eggs (both from my own flocks) and I put in 31, more than I needed just in case. Sure enough each of the 31 eggs hatched and were healthy vibrant ducklings! I think the key is making sure you have VERY GOOD thermometers. And KEEP THE HUMIDITY UP! For most of the incubation, the temp was around 100 (give or take a degree on either side) and the humidity (I had a separate humidity reader) between 30-40%. For lock down the temp was a little lower (98 I think) and the humidity we raised to around 70% . Also, ducklings take forever to come out. DON"T RUSH THEM! Mine pipped and then sat around for 24-36 hours before moving again. And I had 2 that pipped at the wrong end and I SO wanted to help them out (actually started on one, but made it bleed and stopped) because they were just sitting there and everyone else was out. But I decided to leave them over night, and sure enough they hatched on their own by morning!

Hope you can figure it out! It is amazing to have ducklings that you have hatched out yourself!!!!

 

[russellsthree]

Thanks for the response! I have been posting all over on the forum trying to find someone to talk to. I'd like to get a successful batch hatched out this summer - I'm having peeper withdrawals!

Mine did not go broody until they were at least 2 years old. Reba and Betty usually think they are going to hatch out some eggs, but end up sitting on top of each other in the same nesting box having a broody contest. They normally end up just breaking the eggs. I take the eggs from them because the others will stop laying when they have their shenanigans going on. Silly girls.

I kept my temp in the incubator around 100 (give or take 1/2 degree), but kept my humidity between 45 - 55%. Do you think that is too high? I think I got that from another site. I'm not even sure if I can get the humidity up higher than that for lock down.

I have more eggs to put in right now and am looking for advice from anyone!

 

[DucksnDaffodils]

I think 40% humidity is fine for the majority of the incubation. Make sure you have a really good thermometer, because we lost a whole batch of chicks on year because are thermometer was said 2 degrees lower than it was, so we basically roasted them... At lock down (3 days before hatch, so the around the 25th day) you can let the temp. go down a little, and what I did to get the humidity up to 70% was put a sterilized scent free sponge in the incubator (on a paper towel) and then I had a straw sticking though the hole in the top of the 'bator with a paper funnel on top, so I would just pour water on the sponge (without having to raise the top and let out humidity and heat) until it was up to the right percentage. When it got down to say 65% I would add more water. Hope that helps!!!