Welsh Harlequin question

[JStark]

One of my little Welsh Harlequins (~ 1 week old) is different from the other two: She has a clear bill (with no spot at the front) and her tail is not so perked up as the other ones. She is also a tad more shy. When we got her, some of her head feathers were matted down, and she seemed slower to get up than the other two.

Of course, I've only got three, and they all have variations, but I'm just wondering... does anybody know about bill spots on Welsh Harlequins?

 

[goosedragon]

Other than to tell you that the spot on the tip of the bill is called a "bean" in waterfowl I can not be much help since I never raised Welsh Harlequins. I can speculate that the clear bill might indicate a female, but it is only a guess.

 

[MDC]

Can you post photos of the 3?

Are your birds from a reliable source? I mean, when they say they're Welsh are the parents actually good representatives of the breed or just somewhat appear to be Welsh but who knows what all's in the mix? (Much like the hatcheries selling mutt birds as being 'Ameraucana or Araucana' when in all actuality they're neither. Hatcheries aren't so diligent in culling birds that do not fit the standard. If they're hatchery ducklings it may well not be a Welsh or it could be that there is some mixed blood in there. Then again, it might just be a fluke.

 

[JStark]

Here are the three, and then a pic of the girl with the clear bill and a pic of the girl with the darkest bill.

 

[MDC]

Honestly, those do not appear to be Welsh to me at all. In the first picture, the one in the back would be the closest to resemble a Welsh IMO. By a week the ducklings bills should be darker from my experience. The type of color on their bill is not what I've ever gotten from any of my Welsh nor any that I've seen. I could be wrong, however.

 

[JStark]

Well, that's unfortunate... any suggestions for what I should do?

 

[BeccaOH]

I'm brand new to WH. Mine were hatched Sunday and arrived Wednesday from Metzer in CA. These pics are all girls.

 

[CityChicker]

Where did you get those? They sure are cute, but they don't look like Welsh Harlequins to me either. I should preface that with I have not had any WH yet, I'm just basing that on pictures I have seen.

 

[JStark]

Well, I must say that all three ducklings' bills seem to be getting darker from the base moving forward. The lightest one still has the lightest amount, but I'll keep you all posted.