Chick Down Doesn't Match Variety?

[Rhodebar Lover]

Just wondering if this has happened to anyone. I received a mystery Orpington bonus chick from a breeder that had a multitude of varieties, among which they raised red and partridge Orpingtons. Seeing her as a chick, her down and first set of feathers seemed to be partridge. Her down was very close to my Partridge Brahmas she was raised with. I assumed she was partridge for the longest time, but she slowly turned red! She now is quite obviously a Red Orpington. Anyone had this happen or know why? I thought it was quite odd having previously raised heritage RIRs and thought I knew what to expect with red chicks.
Here are progression pics of Mabel! (In the pic with multiple chicks she has a yellow dot and a Partridge Brahma a red dot.)

 

[Josh Mack]

She is an absolutely beautiful bird I’m jealous I had this problem with white silkies I hatched them from my own stock which is pure white and a few of them had partridge down I was baffled as to how this happened but after they began to feather up they turned white now I have brilliant white birds but I’m still confused as to why it happened I think it might just happen sometimes

 

[Willawong Hill]

Perhaps she carries partridge and this manifested in her chick down? I had a silkie chick that looked partridge but has grown up to be black with some leakage.n

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

Thanks for the responses, they're very interesting! I didn't know that often happened! Maybe it is some outcrossing showing through!

 

[annageckos]

I've read about this in buckeyes, with some chicks having a different color down. I don't know what genes are involved. I think one color isn't desirable but it has been a while since I came read about it.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

I've read about this in buckeyes, with some chicks having a different color down. I don't know what genes are involved. I think one color isn't desirable but it has been a while since I came read about it.

Huh! Thanks for the info. I wonder if because her chick down was wrong she was a packing peanut then! I'm not breeding her, so doesn't matter to me, but the idea that chick down can vary yet lead to the same color in the long run is an odd thought. It's used so frequently to determine breeds and varieties when young too

 

[Willawong Hill]

I'd be interested to know if you bred her to a partridge orpington if she'd have some partridge babies .

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

I'd be interested to know if you bred her to a partridge orpington if she'd have some partridge babies .

Hmmm now to get a partridge roo, lol!

 

[Willawong Hill]

Chicken math strikes again!

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

I'm looking back at this and am still a bit confused. Could Red Orpingtons not be based on the e^Wh/e^Wh locus and instead be based in e^b/e^b? Was this just melanizers? @ColtHandorf, have you seen anything like this in your English Orpingtons? @Amer, any idea of the genetics? Thanks!!