welsh harlequin

duckie <3 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 4:11 pm

I Im Getting a Welsh harlequin duck! [smilie=vibes.gif]

Roova · **Posted:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:49 pm

Yay! I love them too! It would be great if you could post a photo when you get him or her...

duckie <3 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 6:20 pm

Will Do..

duckie <3 · **Posted:** Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:38 am

I Got My Duck!

Roova · **Posted:** Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:26 pm

Your duck is absolutely beautiful! Im afraid I have some bad news though...she isn't a Welsh Harlequin.

From the standard for you:
The ducks should have the same type and shape of a Campbell (because they are a sport of this breed).
The females should have gunmetal grey beaks and no neck rings.
They should weight about 2 - 2.25kg (the males are 2.25 - 2.5kg).
Eyes dark brown, legs dark brown.
Wing bars brown NOT blue
Head and upper neck: honey/fawn and brown graining on crown.
Shoulders, breast, belly, flank and stern: fading fawn to creamy white.

When I first started looking for WH I was sold many many variations of them. There are photos in my gallery of some of the birds I've been sold in the past. It makes me cringe when I look back at them! In some cases I think the seller didn't know any better, but in some cases I believe they were being deceptive. I eventually learn to ask for photos before I bought anything.

Here's a link to what the females should look more like. http://www.domestic-waterfowl.co.uk/wharl.htm
There is a variation called 'silver' which has blue wing bars. These are serious fault in the Australian Standard.

I can only suggest in the future you ask for photos before you buy because sometimes you'll be glad you did. Im sure you'll enjoy your girl either way, she looks very healthy and in good condition!

duckie <3 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 14, 2011 2:03 pm

oh do you know what breed she is?

Roova · **Posted:** Mon Feb 14, 2011 5:04 pm

Its very hard to tell, can you ask the person you bought her from for photos of her parents or the breeding pen she cam from?

I suspect she probably has saxony in her somewhere if you look at this picture:
http://www.holderreadfarm.com/photogall ... y_page.htm

Without exact information its really just guess work, but either way she is a very pretty duck!

littlepekins · **Joined:** Wed Feb 16, 2011 11:06 am **Posts:** 1

This happened to me I purchased a pair of welsh harlequin ducks but found out 4 days after I got them home they were cross with something we suspect mallard but can’t be certain. When I rang the seller and questioned she said too bad I should have known what I was buying and hung up. I think it’s hard for those who don’t know what a true welsh harlequin looks like to know for sure until you come on to the forum like this. I ended up keeping mine because like yours duckie3 they looked great anyway. I think trying to buy good pure welsh harlequins is not easy.

Roova · **Posted:** Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:17 pm

I can vouch for that! I've been on a waiting list for good quality WH for well over 18 months. There's not many of the real thing around and they are listed as being critically rare on the Rare Breeds Trust of Australia website.

http://www.rbta.org/PoultryList.htm

Anyone buying them cheaply or easily, is probably not buying the real deal. There are a lot of breeders (and one on Farmstock Classifieds) advertising WH all the time and photos of their birds show a real mixed bunch. They have zero care factor that they dont actually have the real thing because they sell so many of them. Cutting a long story short I pointed out to this particular seller he didn't have WH and he said 'go to a professional breeder if you want the real thing' :shock:

It would be great if they were more common. Hopefully when I eventually get mine I find they still have good egg laying ability as this is one of the things which they are/were renowned for.

duckie <3 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:18 am

I Didnt buy a friend gave her to me...

AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

welsh harlequin

Who is on the Forum