English Orpington Coloring

[Wildflower15]

Good morning! I’ve recently discovered the beautiful colors of the English Orpington and I’d like help in figuring out feather color genetics. Is there a good website you recommend to break it down for me?

Specifically, I’m looking to produce mauve, chocolate, lavender, blue, splash with and without lacing. I can only have 1-2 roosters. Which color rooster would give me the best chance at producing the colors i’m hoping for?

 

[Auntiejessi3]

http://kippenjungle.nl/chickencalculator.html

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I love English Orpingtons I'll be adding chocolate to my flock this year @ColtHandorf is the English Orpington king!

 

[ColtHandorf]

Good morning! I’ve recently discovered the beautiful colors of the English Orpington and I’d like help in figuring out feather color genetics. Is there a good website you recommend to break it down for me?

Specifically, I’m looking to produce mauve, chocolate, lavender, blue, splash with and without lacing. I can only have 1-2 roosters. Which color rooster would give me the best chance at producing the colors i’m hoping for?

Just leave the pattern gene out entirely. It only complicates things.

Lavender, Chocolate, and Blue all affect the Black gene. For ease of breeding, I'd recommend keeping Blue, Black, Splash, Lavender, Chocolate, and Mauve females. In order to produce Lavender or Chocolate visually in both sexes, you will need a male of each variety as the offspring require two copies of the gene in order to express the color in both sexes visually. Personally, I'd go for three roosters and keep a Blue as well. English Orpingtons aren't particularly hard on the hens, and I usually keep 2-3 males per pen. More than four hens and their fertility starts to suffer. How many birds are you able to keep total?

I love English Orpingtons I'll be adding chocolate to my flock this year @ColtHandorf is the English Orpington king!

 

[Wildflower15]

Just leave the pattern gene out entirely. It only complicates things.

Lavender, Chocolate, and Blue all affect the Black gene. For ease of breeding, I'd recommend keeping Blue, Black, Splash, Lavender, Chocolate, and Mauve females. In order to produce Lavender or Chocolate visually in both sexes, you will need a male of each variety as the offspring require two copies of the gene in order to express the color in both sexes visually. Personally, I'd go for three roosters and keep a Blue as well. English Orpingtons aren't particularly hard on the hens, and I usually keep 2-3 males per pen. More than four hens and their fertility starts to suffer. How many birds are you able to keep total?

Ok great! Very helpful Thank you so much! We have space for 15 birds.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Just leave the pattern gene out entirely. It only complicates things.

Lavender, Chocolate, and Blue all affect the Black gene. For ease of breeding, I'd recommend keeping Blue, Black, Splash, Lavender, Chocolate, and Mauve females. In order to produce Lavender or Chocolate visually in both sexes, you will need a male of each variety as the offspring require two copies of the gene in order to express the color in both sexes visually. Personally, I'd go for three roosters and keep a Blue as well. English Orpingtons aren't particularly hard on the hens, and I usually keep 2-3 males per pen. More than four hens and their fertility starts to suffer. How many birds are you able to keep total?

That's Chuck...lol