I posted the following on our web site, but am looking for any additional insight others may have. There are pics added below showing various age and plumage development..
After several hatches and some feathering out time, we have noticed an unanticipated result in our split-to-split black/lav breeding pen (Big Bear). Based on the visual appearance of the feathering on the chicks and some genetic research, we have come to the conclusion that at least some of the parent stock carries the recessive mottled gene. With the back crossing in our breeding program, we are now seeing a mottling effect on a few of the chicks. We will know more as we start to hatch some of Lil Bears offspring and will post updates as we identify more details.
For those folks working on the project with us, please keep us posted on your hatch results so we can compare notes. I do not believe all of the split blacks have the mottling gene, but it will be interesting to monitor. My recommendation would be to proceed with only the pure lavender hatchlings for the lavender Orpington project. I would not recommend using any of the mottled chicks for further breeding on the lavender Orpington project, however they may inspire some to work on additional projects as we plan to do.
We had already planned to work on and have set up a mottled pen to put focus on jubilee and mottled Orpington. So if this is the case with these random chicks, then we will be one step ahead and have some genetic diversity for that project in its next phases.
Notice the ones on the left have the lavender coloring (which may be difficult to see in the pics due to the flash)
And some lavender peeps:
After several hatches and some feathering out time, we have noticed an unanticipated result in our split-to-split black/lav breeding pen (Big Bear). Based on the visual appearance of the feathering on the chicks and some genetic research, we have come to the conclusion that at least some of the parent stock carries the recessive mottled gene. With the back crossing in our breeding program, we are now seeing a mottling effect on a few of the chicks. We will know more as we start to hatch some of Lil Bears offspring and will post updates as we identify more details.
For those folks working on the project with us, please keep us posted on your hatch results so we can compare notes. I do not believe all of the split blacks have the mottling gene, but it will be interesting to monitor. My recommendation would be to proceed with only the pure lavender hatchlings for the lavender Orpington project. I would not recommend using any of the mottled chicks for further breeding on the lavender Orpington project, however they may inspire some to work on additional projects as we plan to do.
We had already planned to work on and have set up a mottled pen to put focus on jubilee and mottled Orpington. So if this is the case with these random chicks, then we will be one step ahead and have some genetic diversity for that project in its next phases.
Notice the ones on the left have the lavender coloring (which may be difficult to see in the pics due to the flash)
And some lavender peeps:
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