, Black Orpingtons with unusual feather coloring...?

[RimmerFarm]

A few chicks out of my English black orpingtons developed rainbow coloring on their feathers. Parent stock have green sheen. Has anyone seen this happen in their black orps? Is it common? Should I cull or breed? Wing, back, tail all rainbow & neck/chest blue sheen.

 

[chooks4life]

Hmm, no replies. Well, I've got the same rainbow sheen in many of mine, though they're from all sorts of genetics including Aus Orps, I breed it because I breed mongrels, but if you prefer standard breds you could sell the rainbow ones on to someone who wants that, since you may be trying to adhere to SOP.

Best wishes.

 

[Michael OShay]

I've never had any Black Orpingtons, but my Black Australorps (which were originally bred using Black Orpington stock) have a greenish sheen to their feathers when bright sunlight strikes them.

 

[chooks4life]

I've never had any Black Orpingtons, but my Black Australorps (which were originally bred using Black Orpington stock) have a greenish sheen to their feathers when bright sunlight strikes them.

I believe the 'beetle-green sheen' is described in the breed standard, 'purebreds' without it are penalized or not bred by those breeding to standard. However I've had 'purebreds' with purple sheens, white ones, blue ones, etc, and of course the rainbow sheen popped up in the mongrels of various breeds.