Hen Breeds? Welsh Harlequin Ducks?

[bibliophile birds]

They're also a little on the homely side lol!

really? i think they are BEAUTIFUL! well, the buffs at least.

you don't think these are stunningly pretty?

to each his own, i guess!

 

[dragonlaurel]

They're also a little on the homely side lol!

really? i think they are BEAUTIFUL! well, the buffs at least.

you don't think these are stunningly pretty?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__aqjLpPkgWE/SgN0I8sFfJI/AAAAAAAAAUU/rZYuaXItbLo/s400/IMG_1516.JPG

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Chant/ChantBuffP10Wks1.JPEG

to each his own, i guess!

Those are pretty. Maybe the other ones were the ugly stepsisters.

 

[Wifezilla]

And if you have or have raised welsh harlequin ducks, I would love to hear about your experience. From what I have read, they are supposed to be friendly, incredible layers, awesome foragers and will go broody.

Everything you heard is TRUE

I started off with an assortment of ducks and over the last year and a half I am down to Welsh Harlequins and one "special" runner. I have 2 Welsh Harlequins that were hand raised and 2 that were flocked raised that I got as adults. All of them are equally friendly, eat from my hand, and love attention.

They eat dandelions and other weeds and have done a good job of keeping the slug population down. Now I DO have to fence the plants or they will eat them too, but before planting they will weed and debug for you.

They lay an egg almost every day. Last night one of them gave me 2 eggs! Harlequins were derived from khaki campbells, but they are way calmer than my khakis were.

As for brooding, as soon as the weather gets nicer I am going to stop stealing their eggs in the morning and see who wants to be a mom

 

[BeccaOH]

For broodiness and cold tolerance, the Buff Orpingtons work for me. One BO hen went broody twice last year and raised 2 small clutches. Cochins are supposed to be good broodies and tolerate the cold well, but they don't lay well.

I've had good luck with cold tolerance overall. Just some frosted tips on some roos' combs. I have BO, BA, Amerucana, LF Cochin, Brabanter, Langshan, Rocks, Wyandottes, and Production Reds. I actually had most trouble with the PRs getting "colds." Two keeled over during their molt this winter. My BAs are some of the best, most consistent layers.

I have a trio of Welsh Harlequins in a mixed flock with KC, Cayugas, and Runners. The WH and runners seem to out lay my others. They have never been particularly friendly, but none of my ducks are. My ducks and geese have survived this harsh winter very well with very little shelter.

I've referred to the Henderson chart often, but it just seems to be one person's opinion. The Meyer Hatchery catalog has great specs on each breed.

 

[RedneckWoman]

What does BA stand for? Black Australorp?

 

[BeccaOH]

What does BA stand for? Black Australorp?

Yep

 

[Ohioann]

I just placed my replacement hens order last week.. but now I am having second thoughts. I wanted chicken breeds that are very hardy with excellent foraging skills, good layers and the ability to go broody if we ever need to breed our own chickies. Spent a lot of time researching this too...

Right now I have australorps, a buckeye, a dominique and aracaunas from last year that will stay another year. I can't wait to get rid of the red sex-links. Woo Hoo. Bye bye, dummies! So for this order, I am buying more dominiques, more aracaunas (we love those green eggs!), welsummers, cuckoo marans (for egg color), anconas, hamburgs and 2 partridge penedesenca (again for egg color). Any suggestions or recommendations?

And if you have or have raised welsh harlequin ducks, I would love to hear about your experience. From what I have read, they are supposed to be friendly, incredible layers, awesome foragers and will go broody.

We have Buckeyes and Welsummers. Both did well surviving this winter, the Buckeyes laid a little better. Have started incubating eggs in my "new to me" cabinet incubator. First hatch started yesterday, 4 out of 5 so far with the fifth one pipping. I'm still a little weak in the candeling skills so I hope I didn't cull the wrong eggs!! Have another batch in the incubator. Have both Welsummer and Buckeye eggs but these first chicks are Buckeyes. The Welsummer eggs are so dark they are really hard to candle.
We used to have WH ducks and loved them. Boy do they lay the eggs!! Great for baking and noodles! We did not replace the ducks as they crossed the great divide because they were so messy, we tried keeping them in a pen but then they couldn't get to the grass and bugs and the pen got so messy. If I ever fence the garden and can figure out a flowing water area for them I might get ducks again and they would be WH.

 

[RedneckWoman]

I'm so glad to hear that we're making a good choice with the ducks. We've had muscovies before and they did not live up to their reputation of annihilating all bugs in sight. LOL

Thank you everyone for the insight and advice about chicken breeds too.

 

[Wifezilla]

They even stalk flies. Chrissy is the fly killing queen, but the harlequins aren't far behind. They don't get them all, but I had a lot less bug damage in the back yard where the ducks are than the front. I need to herd them to the front yard for some spring cleaning. The bugs were so bad they ate ALL of my melon plants within 2 days after transplanting last summer.