Ducks
Welsh
Harlequins
The Welsh Harlequin is a fairly
new breed. It was developed in
1949 from a mutation in Khaki
Campbells. Welsh Harlequins therefore
are a "new" and relatively
unknown breed. They are considered
endangered in the US.
 The
body type is the basic body type
of the Khaki Campbell. They are
slightly larger in size, producing
a lean meat, but are still the
productive egg layers, aka a good
dual purpose breed. They produce
around 300 white eggs a year.
 Harlequins
are a calm breed and are known
to take to hand feeding. They
will go broody and are excellent
mothers.
Ducklings
are buffed colored and can be
sexed upon hatching due to differences
in beak color (Holderread 1985,
2-4).
L-Hen
Duck, R-Drake
There
are both silver and gold phases
of Harlequins. Our Harlequins
are of the silver phase. The gold
phase is a duller version of the
silver phase and was the original
type.
References
Erin Traverse SPPA Bulletin, 2000,
5(1):3-4
Holderread,
Dave. Breed Bulletin #8503: Welsh
Harlequin Ducks. Corvallis, OR:
The Duck Preservation Center,
1985.
Links
American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
http://www.albc-usa.org/
ALBC
Welch Harlequins Page
Bird Shippers of America
http://www.birdshippers.org/
The Feather Site
http://www.feathersite.com
Society for the Preservation
of Poultry Antiquities (SPPA)
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/SPPA/SPPA.html
Slow
Food USA
http://www.slowfoodusa.org/ark/index.html
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