Welsh Harlequin Help

[BethJ]

My husband and I just inherited a little flock of Silver Welsh Harlequins from a man who no longer had the time to keep them. I believe there are 2 original breeding pairs (Caerwen and Enfys, Erwclyff and Seren) and 2 hens that are their offspring.

• Erwclff, top left
• Seren, below him
• Caerwyn, middle
• Enfys, below him
• Deryn, top right

We knew right away that one had too stripey of an eye (Deryn) to be good breeding stock. The other was in the middle of a molt, but we were told she is a gold phase (Eurwen).

• Deryn, left
• Eurwen, middle
• Enfys, right

Now that Eurwen's feathers are coming in they are quite dark and reddish. I'm completely confused. Is this a Khaki Campbell throwback? Or is she simply not right? If that is so, how did she come from 2 Silver phase birds that seem to have reasonable SOP? We're interested in maintaining a good SOP as breed stewards, so would like to know what your thoughts are. I had read on a different thread that someone had a brown chick hatch out of their own pure Welsh Harlequin eggs, they thought it might be a KC throwback too but there weren't many comments.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Amer]

I can't say what is up with the red feathers, but it looks to me like those birds are the gold phase.
Gold phase birds were the original Welsh Harlequin variety and are still popular in the UK today, while America favored the silver version.
I am curious as to where you got these birds and whether they are more recent imports.
Don't be discouraged. Those are still lovely birds that would be fine to breed.
However, if you would like to breed to the Standard, you may have to source Welsh Harlequins elsewhere.

 

[BethJ]

The man has a farm in Guilford and got them from an Ontario breeder near Glen Haffy. Not sure about if, or when, or where they were imported from.

I can't say what is up with the red feathers, but it looks to me like those birds are the gold phase.
Gold phase birds were the original Welsh Harlequin variety and are still popular in the UK today, while America favored the silver version.
I am curious as to where you got these birds and whether they are more recent imports.
Don't be discouraged. Those are still lovely birds that would be fine to breed.
However, if you would like to breed to the Standard, you may have to source Welsh Harlequins elsewhere.

 

[BethJ]

Here's some better pictures from today