Welsh Harlequins from Holderreads: I might sell them (PHOTOS)

[fogbubble]

I have only five ducks left after repeated visits by some unknown predator. Two are pure Welsh Harlequin girls (gold phase), and one is a silver drake. All three came directly from Holderreads and they're two years old. I've also got a pure mallard drake and a mallard/Harlequin drake. I fear that whatever is getting them will eventually take them all. I put them in a secure box at night but they still sometimes disappear in daylight.

For this plus other reasons, I'm thinking of quitting ducks for a while, but I do have to recoup some of my expenses. I see on Holderread's web site that he sells Harlequin adults for a minimum of $25 apiece, plus shipping. I wonder if anyone might be interested in my birds? I don't want to ship them, so it would have to be a pickup situation. I'm about an hour west of Asheville, NC.

I wonder what I should ask for the three pure Harlequins? Let me hear any suggestions, even if you're not interested in them yourself.

I haven't decided for sure to sell them, and I do have someone else that I might offer them too first. In the meantime I'll hear other offers. If you're interested, please let me know.

Oh - and if I do rehome my birds, l'll be giving away the mallard and hybrid for free, but only to a good home - they're not dinner.

They are the gold phase ducks in these photos, plus one silver drake:

 

[dumb_cluck]

I lost my whole flock of 5 mallards in the fall to a mink. I am going through the same process of new ducks or not.

If you keep them penned up at night in something PREDATOR PROOF 100%, you will be fine.

My ducks were in a locked garage, in pens, but the mink got in the back sliding door and the duck pens had wide enough slots between that the mink got them all. I would have never guessed in a million years that this could have happened.

However, now that it has, I will make sure that any pens for the ducks at night will be re-inforced with hardware cloth so that there is NO WAY they can be harmed.

PS Keep you ducks...

 

[Borncountry419]

Ugh, Mink are terrible! I had a problem with one this winter, but I got him!

And Fogbubble, do what dumb_cluck says. Make it 100% predator proof run for them, and maybe build them a covered run instead of letting them free range(?).

 

[desertdarlene]

Your ducks are beautiful, I'm sorry you lost some. I wouldn't be able to buy them as I don't live nearby.

 

[fogbubble]

I have a very secure duck box and nothing bigger than a bee is getting in there. During the day they're in a very large (about 1.4 acre) fenced lot. Of course the fenced lot isn't all that secure.
But really, predators aren't the only reason I might be selling, and I need advice on what I could reasonably ask for them.

Thanks!

 

[Borncountry419]

If the local people havent heard of welsh harlequins or holderread, you probably won't get more than 10-15 each. Then again your area could have a better market than mine. Even if they have heard of holderread, only a serious breeder would pay good money for them. I'd say start out asking maybe 50-60$ for the welsh trio, or ask 60$ for all instead of saying the mallard and mutt are free. That way it'll feel like they're paying less for the welsh. This is mostly speculation, but...

 

[schellie69]

I would set a price for the 3 Harlequins then say with two free and throw in the other 2 I am sorry that you feel you have to give up your ducks. If I was closer I would be interested.