Will my WH get her color back?

[Jbently28]

I purchased a Welsh Harlequin duckling last spring along with 2 Khaki Campbell ducklings. She just turned a year old. The 1st pic is what she looked like last fall. I didn't have a pic of her so I googled it and this is EXACTLY what she looked like. The 2nd pic is what she looks like now. She hasn't molted yet, but I'm assuming she may be getting close as she has stopped laying as often. Will she go back to the way she looked previously or will she remain mostly white?

 

[Tannerpauldean]

I purchased a Welsh Harlequin duckling last spring along with 2 Khaki Campbell ducklings. She just turned a year old. The 1st pic is what she looked like last fall. I didn't have a pic of her so I googled it and this is EXACTLY what she looked like. The 2nd pic is what she looks like now. She hasn't molted yet, but I'm assuming she may be getting close as she has stopped laying as often. Will she go back to the way she looked previously or will she remain mostly white?View attachment 1731910 View attachment 1731911

She should go back to her normal coloring. They moult a couple times each year, and the color pattern is a little different for each season.

Check out my WH when she first feathered out last August:

And this was this past week:

 

[Jbently28]

She should go back to her normal coloring. They moult a couple times each year, and the color pattern is a little different for each season.

Check out my WH when she first feathered out last August:
View attachment 1731962


And this was this past week:
View attachment 1731964

Thanks! You definitely have some beauties!!

 

[Tannerpauldean]

Thanks! You definitely have some beauties!!

Thanks! I love my ducks, and I have 27 WH eggs in by bator right now with the goal of expanding the flock to be mainly that breed. They are, in my opinion, the most beautiful and underrated breed out there.

 

[Jbently28]

I lucked out a few weeks ago. I went into TSC for some feed and of course couldn't resist stopping to check out the ducklings. They had a bin full of mixed ducklings, but they were all khaki campbells and one little yellow guy. I knew when I saw it that it was a WH drake (by bill color at the time) so I of course had to get it along with a little KC which I was hoping was a duck. They were exactly the same size when I got them, but the WH is growing a lot quicker and taking longer to feather out. But the suspected WH is feathering out exactly the same as my first did when I got her. The lady at TSC was arguing with me that he was a Pekin I've started hearing the first little quacks from the KC already so it looks like I may have gotten exactly what I wanted.

 

[Jbently28]

Thanks! I love my ducks, and I have 27 WH eggs in by bator right now with the goal of expanding the flock to be mainly that breed. They are, in my opinion, the most beautiful and underrated breed out there.

I was so excited to find a drake. I'm hoping to breed him to my duck next spring. We have a local chicken swap every month between March and October here where I live. There is also a facebook page for the swap and I never see anyone on it with WHs. I would live to attend the swap as a vendor next spring.

 

[Tannerpauldean]

I was so excited to find a drake. I'm hoping to breed him to my duck next spring. We have a local chicken swap every month between March and October here where I live. There is also a facebook page for the swap and I never see anyone on it with WHs. I would live to attend the swap as a vendor next spring.

I am the same way. I'm looking to go to some of the flock swaps to see what other owners in the area raise.

To be honest, though, I am not 100% sure that your duck is a WH drake. I would expect there to be more dark down/feathering on the rump and head areas. Pictured are my WHs at 24 days old. The one in the foreground is a duck and the one just behind her is my drake. Their bills were pretty dark at that time as well.

I hope your new duck is a WH, but if not I can't wait to see what it turns out to be!

 

[Jbently28]

I originally had a WH drake along with my duck. Unfortunately, my neighbor's dog got into my yard and killed him when he was about 5 months old along with my KC duck. At that time, home already had his dark head. I dont have any pics of him at that age, but this was both of them the day I got them. The other pics were taken at after their feathers started coming in. I'm pretty much just going off of theory right now, but hoping for a drake. If not, I'm perfectly happy having "her" as part of my flock.

 

[Tannerpauldean]

I originally had a WH drake along with my duck. Unfortunately, my neighbor's dog got into my yard and killed him when he was about 5 months old along with my KC duck. At that time, home already had his dark head. I dont have any pics of him at that age, but this was both of them the day I got them. The other pics were taken at after their feathers started coming in. I'm pretty much just going off of theory right now, but hoping for a drake. If not, I'm perfectly happy having "her" as part of my flock.View attachment 1732006 View attachment 1732008 View attachment 1732009 View attachment 1732009

They are flat out adorable!

 

[Jbently28]

And WH x KC babies are pretty cute anyways! This is my little one I have now.