Black-tailed Buff Orpingtons

[Salve&Fluffer]

My Buff does not have black tail feathers, but they are speckled and spotted with black. Does anyone know why some Buff Orpingtons are like that? Also, does the black make her a bad show bird?

 

[MaKettle]

both of my BOs have the same thing..speckled tails. I'm a total newbie so I don't know if it makes them bad show birds or not...definitely interested in hearing what people have to say!

 

[Salve&Fluffer]

I just found out that the other one also has tail feathers like that, but they are basically only noticeable if you turn her upside down. On both Buffs, you have to be paying attention to notice it normally. But if Buttercup raises her tail and spreads her feathers, it is noticeable. (She does that to show her dominance over most of the other chickens.)

 

[blackclownfish16]

Buff is a very complex color and you will almost always have some birds with black in their tail or primaries. Buff breeders are constantly aiming for the true buff and tend to get plenty of birds that are too dark or too light. You must use some buffs with black simply because the buff will get too washed out otherwise and you can end up with buffs with white. At least thats the case with silkies and wyandottes and I assume it would be the same for most other buff breeds. As a show bird, any black is undesirable but if paired with a nice clear cock, she could produce some clear chicks. Hopefully some buff breeders expand this explanation.

 

[blackdotte]

Most likely lacking homozygousity the Columbian Restrictor Db ,Dark Brown.
Black & smutty feathers are a disqualifier in Buffs

 

[Funky Feathers]

Pics!! Pics!! I LOVE Black-Tailed Buff anything~~~

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

pictures

 

[Salve&Fluffer]

Okay, I'll post some pictures later. But the black is a little hard to see in the pictures since it is just speckles of black (although in some feathers the speckles run together).

 

[Salve&Fluffer]

Here are some pictures of the tail feathers of the Buff that it is easier to see in.

I only had one Buff before, from the same place, and she was perfect. Completely buff, not too light or too dark, not fat, in porportion, and with shiny feathers that shined even more if she was in sunlight. These Buffs that I have now are so different.

 

[sloallie10]

Im not sure if this is the right pic, but my friends chickens were like that