Welsh Harlequin

[Dances with Ducks]

Wifezilla wrote:

"The Welsh Harlequin originated in 1949 from two mutant light colored ducklings hatched from pure Khaki Campbells by Leslie Bonnet, a duck breeder living near Criccieth Wales. "

Webfoot wrote:

"The original variety was the soft hued Golden. The Silver Welsh Harlequin, which currently is the most common, has the greater contrast and brilliance in its plumage and was developed by Mr. Bonnet in the 1960's."

Webfoot I just noticed this statement in your post! I hadn't realized that Mr. Bonnet who originally developed the Gold WH also developed the Silver. I hope that resolves all doubt about the authenticity of the Silver!​

 

[CurlyLindsay]

When I stumbled on this thread a few days ago, I was really taken by the WH. I LOVE rare breeds and the fact that this one lays prolificly really made we wants some!

I was going to restrain myself, then I found an ad for WH chicks on my local craiglist.

I think I am going to get some!

 

[Wifezilla]

Stop resisting. Give in to the power of egg-laying cuteness....

 

[Webfoot]

Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated by the Welsh Harlequin.

 

[threeducks]

Oh my gosh they are beautiful! I have 3 mallards and just got a pekin . I have a wish list...I think the harlequin will be added ! Im going to need a bigger pen! LOL

 

[threeducks]

Quote:
Welcome to the pit of despair, dont even think about (cough, cough). Dont even think about leaving.

 

[lakota_elder]

At my age I think I'm going to swap out a couple of my horses and do WH instead.... Seems so much easier to deal with 20 lbs vs 1000 lbs... Wonder how many WH I could get in the swap.????

And for genetic breeding I wouldn't have to wait 5 yrs to breed the next generation....!!!!

 

[Wifezilla]

And the poop is smaller. BIG plus

 

[Cetawin]

Well mine are only 13 days old now but I love em. I love my anconas too.

Here are some of my babies at 11 days old:

this is my group shot, the anconas are the distinctly marked ones with dark body markings...I do have one that is light marked but you can pick her out easy enough because she does not have the dark bill.

I ordered 5 GWH from Holderread and received 6 along with my 5 anconas.

 

[lakota_elder]

Is there any info on dilution genes in the WH.??

In horses one dilution (creme) gene will change a chestnut to a palomino and 2 dilutes (one from male and one from female) will create a cremello. The appearance of the cremello is almost white with a slight creme colored cast. And they can only produce palomino if breed to red base, or buckskin if bred to black base.

The reason I ask is I'm wondering if the light faded feather color and the almost faded black in the bill color on a female could indicated a double dilution factor.... If this is true then those females could be used for breeding true to either gold or silver because that's all they could produce.. whatever the color factor of the drake that was used.