Is this a Buff Orpington?

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

I got 3 BO chicks for my broody hen from TSC. One of them is beginning to develop some light coloration on the tops of her feathers. This is my first time with BOs so I don’t know if this is a normal coloration of chicken down or if perhaps I have something other than a BO.

 

[CascadiaRiver]

Hmm. I see what you mean! the whiteish tips are on what look like more "damaged" so to say feathers, it looks like the darker ones underneath are more uniform. Perhaps it's just something on those chick feathers but their more mature feathers growing in underneath are more solid? but it's peculiar I'm not sure. Are there any dark feathers with a white tip?

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

Hmm. I see what you mean! the whiteish tips are on what look like more "damaged" so to say feathers, it looks like the darker ones underneath are more uniform. Perhaps it's just something on those chick feathers but their more mature feathers growing in underneath are more solid? but it's peculiar I'm not sure. Are there any dark feathers with a white tip?

It's mostly noticible on the surface feathers. The darker feathers underneath seem normal, but they're also harder to see.

Her feathers are similiar to birds with the shredder gene, but I didn't think BO's could have the shredder gene. Thought it was only the lavenders.

 

[User690263]

It's mostly noticible on the surface feathers. The darker feathers underneath seem normal, but they're also harder to see.

Her feathers are similiar to birds with the shredder gene, but I didn't think BO's could have the shredder gene. Thought it was only the lavenders.

I thought so too, but my BO appears to have the shredder gene, so maybe it just occasionally appears in hatchery quality buff Orpingtons?

 

[User690263]

I thought so too, but my BO appears to have the shredder gene, so maybe it just occasionally appears in hatchery quality buff Orpingtons?

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

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Interesting. And your bird's feather coloration is similiar to mine, with the pale tips. How old is your BO? Is it from Hoover's?

I know diet can play a role in the feather development, but all my birds eat the same thing and the rest all have clean, neat, tight feathering. Unless this one individual bird isn't eating as well as the others. Mine are being raised by a very attentive broody hen, so I doubt that's the issue. Hopefully she'll just shed them out when she grows in her adult feathers.