Welsh Harlequin, how and where to get them

[Wifezilla]

What are the lines you built your harlequin stock from? I am going to need a new drake next year and wanted to make sure I was getting diversity.

 

[kswaterfowl]

K&S Bloodline. Most of our birds are descended from Holderread stock, some from White Feather Farm and Ryan Gartman. BUT these birds are not those lines, they are our own line bred according to the APA Standard of Perfection. We cull hard for birds that not only meet their breed standard, but also birds that are very good layers of large eggs. We also cull hard for color and size on both silver and gold phases, if they don't have a good distinct pattern, we don't feel they are worth breeding.

 

[colowyo0809]

We got our WH eggs from Wifezilla

These are more or less test eggs, to see if we can incubate them at all well, and at the same time not kill ducks

I'd like to get swedish blues, silver appleyard or ancona ducks

 

[Wifezilla]

Thanks ks. I will definitely keep you in mind for eggs. While I do have a few good Holderreads ducks, I also have some "pet quality" in the bunch. They will be removed from breeding for spring and hopefully used for broodies.

Matthew, I hope you and CJ have a good hatch

Those should be good "practice eggs"!

 

[colowyo0809]

Thanks WZ, we are looking forward to it. And even though I tricked CJ into letting me have them, he's not angry about it. He said he can't be angry since I'm technically following the rules he laid down concerning livestock, meaning I could only have birds for the first year or two

the fact that we have chickens and guineas and now a quail and duck eggs is simply following that. Plus, I think he's happy they aren't turkeys or geese

BTW, I am planning on doing your double decker brooder for the ducks

 

[kswaterfowl]

Just because some birds are "Holderread stock" it doesn't make every single bird a great bird. We cull them very hard and often the birds we've gotten directly from Holderreads farm aren't always what we think are ideal. We had an order of 25 ducklings from them and I culled all but two of the drake-lets and saved all but a couple of the hens, and now I am ready to go through and cull a few more of the hens because they are overly large and do not meet their standard. Probably will be great pet birds, but they aren't good enough for us, so we won't be selling them, just culling them from the flock. We've been at this for almost 11 years, and have yet to see the ideal welsh harlequin, we've had some winners here and there, and they were close, but we are still breeding and still hoping for that "perfect" bird.

 

[Wifezilla]

You are correct, but their quality compared to any of the others I have had experience with is much higher. Plus I think I got lucky with Tweak and Lexus. Great looking ducks.

Since I am not breeding for show but meat and eggs, I am not going to be nearly as selective. I do however want good looking duck so if I sell off any surplus, they look like they are supposed to.

 

[HeatherLynn]

The culling and such, is that to get show quality birds? I know nothing of breeding and am content really with whatever I get if they are healthy, so pet quality is great for us. These would be our only ducks so I figure I will just let them produce as they will. We have tons of room and huge pond so.....I just want to make sure I get healthy stock. None of mine will be leaving the farm once they get here so I am not too concerned with ideal. Is holderread stock generally healthy?

 

[kswaterfowl]

If you are breeding for show, you breed birds that look like what the Standard says. In order to do so, there comes a point when you have to get rid the birds that don't measure up. C U L L (how thats done ranges from the auction, to putting them in the freezer, or your choice.) In order to breed show birds you need to be able to hatch as many birds as possible and cull hard. We are guilty of keeping back extra birds here and there simply because they are female, or because they have particular personalities, but in the long run, they are just eating the feed that we could otherwise be feeding to a much nicer quality bird. (It costs just as much to feed a show bird as it does to feed a mutt.) I personally feel if you have birds "just to sell hatching eggs" you should be VERY concerned with the quality of those birds, that they meet their breed standards and they possess all the correct qualities for the breed, ie. laying ability, clean carcass when dressed out and other distinct qualities that make each breed the Said breed.
Our birds are culled throughout the year but mainly at a month, 6 months, 1 year, and after the first breeding season when replacements are growing in the grow out pens. We've even taken birds to a show in the past, seen them all together in show cages and culled them there. These birds are normally completely showable, but once they get into the show cages, sometimes they just don't stand right or we have others that just look better and we sell the "lesser" ones.

 

[Kiery1105]

THis spring I'll be looking for a welsh harlequin hen and drake. I would like to get them as ducklings. I know holderreads doesn't sex them so if anyone will have what I am looking for in my area (MD) or would be willing to ship, please let me know.