Welsh Harlequin Ducks **pics added**

[fowlfriends]

Aww, they are so cute! I have a few Welsh Harlequins I got from Holderreads a few years ago. They do tend to be nervous birds - the ducks quack a LOT. But they have calmed down quite a bit, and I do love them. They are so beautiful. And this last winter, all of my Harlequin hens layed an egg a day for me the entire winter without any artificial lighting! - I am amazed with their laying abilities. They are great Moms too, and mine go broody very well. I have one hatching out some chicken eggs for me right now. Shes gonna be so upset when she sees those little chicks...

The Harlequins were my first ducks, and I clearly remember asking Dave Holderread "How much water do these ducks want?"

his answer was 'They WANT the ocean! ...but will be just fine with enough water to submerse their head in.'

They have kiddie pools in my yard, but prefer to sneak off to the neighbor's koi pond when I'm not looking. Mine cannot fly at all.

Have a ton of fun with your new ducklings!

 

[chknman79]

Thanks fowlfriends! The Welsh's do seem to be nervous. They are growing so fast! I gotta get em a pool for when they go outside. How did you all make nests for them?

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

My Welsh Harlequins that I had were very large and calm. They layed very well but were the size of a cayuga. I could never get the drake to be pretty again, after his first moult he stayed in eclipse plumage, I ended up seilling them and getting runners.

 

[roocrazy]

those ducklings are so cute

 

[drmeyes236]

I got a trio of Welsh Harlequins at the Ohio nationals! I love them....very quite compared to the Pekin pair, I haven't had a lot of ducks but I love Pekins because of their comical personalities. The welsh seem more loving and once you catch them and pick them up... oh my they just love on you!

This is the drake and his ladies also the Pekin's in the picture!

 

[Kansaseq]

Mine are prolific layers; one hen laid 2 eggs a day for a month! She's regulated now and just lays the usual 1 a day. They also do like to bury their eggs, which my Saxony and Appleyard never did.
This is a picture from last spring. They've gotten lots more 'ticking' on them, and the drake is in his big boy plumage now.

 

[pirtykitty]

I have a pair of Welsh Harlequins from Metzers and love them.. Daisy was alittle loud when young but now hardley ever hear any thing unless she is startled or looses site of Stanley or Judy the crested pekin.. I'm hoping to get hatching eggs in spring from someone on here with stalk from Holdereads.. I am very happy with my Welsh harlequins

 

[desertdarlene]

I noticed that this thread is a few years old, so I was wondering how they were doing. They sure were cute ducklings!

I love the pictures everyone has shown, what beautiful ducks!