Welsh Harlequin

Description

Like the majority of domesticated duck breeds, Welsh Harlequins do not truly fly. They can only get roughly 12 inches off the ground (at most) and move forward a couple of feet for sustained flight.

Although Welsh Harlequin ducks are primarily raised for their egg production capabilities, they also produce lean meat that is not greasy and has a robust flavor.

This popular duck breed is a relatively young one. Welsh Harlequin ducks were created after a unique genetic “mishap” with some Khaki Campbell ducklings.

Welsh Harlequin Duck History

This duck breed was created in Wales in 1949. Criccieth resident Leslie Bonnet discovered a mutation of color in a clutch of recently hatched Khaki Campbell ducklings. Bonnet began breeding exclusively to establish the mutation to create an entire flock of ducks – and ultimately a brand new breed.

Leslie Bonnet was an officer in the British Royal Air Force, a writer, scholar, banker, and magazine editor – and a fan of duck breeding.

Bonnet and his wife purchased a fixer-upper manor situated on 25 acres and turned the space into a globally renowned duck breeding operation.

In 1960, Bonnet published Practical Duck-Keeping – which went on to be deemed the “go-to” duck husbandry guide for decades to come.

In the book, the accomplished farmer-scholar maintained that the Welsh Harlequin was created to start a line of ducks that were even better egg producers than the Khaki Campbell and would boast a “docile and placid nature.”

Bonnet staunchly maintained that the demeanor of the ducks would help eliminate egg-laying interruptions so hens could produce on average, more than 300 eggs annually.

Just a few decades later in 1908, the direct descendants created from the original imported fertilized eggs were confined in only two small flocks.

Two Khaki Campbell ducklings in an unusually light shade were bred and hatched from pure stock.

After Bonnet had successfully recreated more ducklings with the same genetic mutation, John Fugate imported the Welsh Harlequin eggs to the United States in 1968.

In an effort to increase the Welsh Harlequin gene pool, more pure breeders were imported both in 1982.

Fugate enlisted the help of Millie and Dave Holderread to diversify the Welsh Harlequin gene pool. Dave Holderread is the author of one of the top-selling duck husbandry books ever published, Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks.

Two years later Welsh Harlequin ducks finally had established population numbers and began being sold across the country. In 2001.

The silver plumage variety of this breed was set as a standard and accepted by the American Poultry Association.

Welsh Harlequin Ducks Physical Characteristics

The male of this duck breed is known for their voracious libido. While drakes do not typically fight with each other (or attack humans) like roosters, putting too many drakes in a single flock can be a recipe for disaster. The hens in the flock will be overly worked by having more than a single drake, potentially causing severe damage to their reproductive problems or even death.

Welsh Harlequin ducks are light-class birds. They typically weigh between five to five and a half pounds once they mature, on average.

Members of this duck breed have a full abdomen and a medium-sized back.

Welsh Harlequin ducks have a streamlined physique with a fairly long body and a rounded chest.

The legs of a member of this breed are spread wide.

Their oval heads are topped off with colorful plumage trim.

The plumage patterns on Welsh Harlequin ducks consist of a reddish to chestnut frost with white on the shoulders.

The plumage pattern on a Welsh Harlequin is rather intricate. A drake has a head that is a greenish to black tone – similar to that of a Khaki Campbell.

The shoulder area consists of a frosted chestnut or reddish shade of feathers with a creamy, white, and reddish chestnut breast area.

The upper back on members of this duck bread has a patterning that is similar to tortoiseshell with brown, cream, and white.

The forewings are a mixture of reddish-brown with white to cream feathers. With portions of a shiny shade of green and a cross band in a bronze hue.

The legs and webbed feet of a harlequin duck are orange with brown to black toenails. The legs of members of this duck breed change to a brown shade as they mature.

Welsh Harlequin tails are bronze to black in color and edged in white – with some brown stippling.

Some burnt orange to rust shaded feathers also appear in portions of the breast, head, and neck of members of this duck breed.

Welsh Harlequin tail feathers are a combination of brown and creamy white.

Hens go through a series of “gold phase” or “silver phase” plumage changes until they are two years old.