Is this mottling?

[Michael99]

I had a chick hatch out about 2 weeks ago, and at first I thought it would be solid blue, but as it's wing feathers started coming in, some of them are white or have white tips. Here is some pictures of what I'm talking about -

Anyways, I was told that the line of birds the chick hatched from do sometimes carry mottling, so I was wondering if that's what this is, or if it's something else (leakage maybe?). Also, if it is mottling, will it become more pronounced as the chick matures or will it continue to just be a few random white feathers?

 

[Amer]

Those white feathers should molt out. It’s normal.

 

[msiler]

I have a couple mottled cochins and they are growing out looking similar! But I've also had black birds that have the white feathers which eventually grow out... time will tell!

 

[Peppercorngal]

My black jersey giant chicks developed white feathers as well. By the time they grew up and they were, and still are, completely black!

 

[Michael99]

Interesting, guess we'll just have to wait and see!

 

[The Kooky Kiwi]

I had the same question recently with respect to some black Araucana chicks I hatched. I had a chat to the breeder who assured me that the black babies often have white feathers of this kind and they always moult out to give a black adult plumage. Here are pics of my black baby feathering in with odd white feathers in both the wing and on the crest and breast

 

[Bo Garrett]

Mottled chicks are distinctly different from black or blue chicks in that they have far more yellow down and the head will be almost completely yellow except for a line of black spots. As they grow they will take on a tuxedo appearance much like a penguin, white breast, primary feathers and some foot feathers in cochins. At maturity my mottled cochins are almost solid black for the males and the females will have mottling in the head, breast and feet, the mottling increases with each year of age.

Blessings,

Bo