Silver laced chocolate Orpington

[Chickaddict44]

Hello..it’s been awhile since I’ve posted here and I’ve come here for your educated thoughts. I hatched 11 silver laced chocolate Orpingtons that are still in the project stages from a breeder. Out of 11, three of them are white. I’ve attached pics. The breeder has told me that she’s only hatched a couple white ones out of hundreds and I got three in one small hatch ..lol I believe all 3 are cockerels. How did I end up with white chicks? I’m curious what I should breed them with, if it all? They have wonderful personalities.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Looks like recessive white, rather than dominant, so it shouldn't mess up your breeding scheme too much if you add them to the gene pool. Just remember that, statistically, for every one bird with two copies of recessive white, there are at least another two birds with only one copy—so if you cross the white birds with a sibling that carries recessive white, half of their offspring'll be white.

There is also the fact that you're unable to see the markings on those birds. Which would probably discourage me from using them.

i can't think of any other downsides.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Are they bantam?

Agreed about the recessive White. I'd just combine them into one pen occasionally making split and crossing them back in. The White is going to cover everything underneath it.

I'm getting ready to work on a Lavender and Blue Silver-laced Large Fowl Orpingtons myself.

 

[Chickaddict44]

Looks like recessive white, rather than dominant, so it shouldn't mess up your breeding scheme too much if you add them to the gene pool. Just remember that, statistically, for every one bird with two copies of recessive white, there are at least another two birds with only one copy—so if you cross the white birds with a sibling that carries recessive white, half of their offspring'll be white.

There is also the fact that you're unable to see the markings on those birds. Which would probably discourage me from using them.

i can't think of any other downsides.

Thank you! That makes sense.

 

[Chickaddict44]

Are they bantam?

Agreed about the recessive White. I'd just combine them into one pen occasionally making split and crossing them back in. The White is going to cover everything underneath it.

I'm getting ready to work on a Lavender and Blue Silver-laced Large Fowl Orpingtons myself.

Hi...not bantams however one is quite small. Sounds like you have a lovely project going.