Lacing questions

[Slothinc]

I wish there was a forum for color questions, as most of my questions are about color and I never know where they should go!

But I have a question about lacing. I have two hens that I presume are from laced lines. One doesn’t have very much pattern on the individual feathers. One has a bit of pattern, including some heart feathers. But I don’t know if it is considered lacing and I don’t know if it can be passed on to offspring if bred to a solid bird? Unless I am mistaken, it seems to me like with most lacing it is a lighter color showing up on a darker feather. But with mine, it is a darker color showing up on a lighter feather. I will post some pics! As chicks they had gray chipmunk pattern.

If they have coloring that has nothing to do with lacing, does anyone know what they actually might be??

 

[Amer]

She has gorgeous patterning on her neck but that is not lacing. She is a black tailed silver. Breeding her with a solid colored bird will not produce laced offspring. The color of the offspring will depend on what color you breed her with.

 

[Amer]

Also, what a fun and wonderful looking hen!

 

[MROO]

I wish there was a forum for color questions, as most of my questions are about color and I never know where they should go!

But I have a question about lacing. I have two hens that I presume are from laced lines. One doesn’t have very much pattern on the individual feathers. One has a bit of pattern, including some heart feathers. But I don’t know if it is considered lacing and I don’t know if it can be passed on to offspring if bred to a solid bird? Unless I am mistaken, it seems to me like with most lacing it is a lighter color showing up on a darker feather. But with mine, it is a darker color showing up on a lighter feather. I will post some pics! As chicks they had gray chipmunk pattern.

If they have coloring that has nothing to do with lacing, does anyone know what they actually might be??

Good point! Try posting here, under Breeds & FAQs. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/general-breed-discussions-faq.14/

 

[Amer]

No, this is the correct forum for genetics related questions like this one.

 

[MROO]

No, this is the correct forum for genetics related questions like this one.

Good to know! Thanks!

 

[Slothinc]

She has gorgeous patterning on her neck but that is not lacing. She is a black tailed silver. Breeding her with a solid colored bird will not produce laced offspring. The color of the offspring will depend on what color you breed her with.

THANK YOU for clearing up this mystery!! I had always wondered, because they came from a “project pen” of shipped eggs from Florida. Her sister looks very similar but she has a gray tail (and no heart feathers on the neck area.) I finally named them Mary Kate (gray tail) and Ashley (black tail)

I just hatched a couple of Ashley’s babies and they are black. I will just plan to use them in my project as “black silkies” and if anything pops up down the line I will keep track that they came from her. Are they okay to use in a black/lavender/paint breeding project, or is gray a clashing color? I havent ever had gray, and didn’t realize that is what these girls are!

 

[Slothinc]

No, this is the correct forum for genetics related questions like this one.

Thanks for the clarification - I tend to have lots of color questions but they generally are related to genetics, so I suppose I will continue to post them here!

 

[Amer]

THANK YOU for clearing up this mystery!! I had always wondered, because they came from a “project pen” of shipped eggs from Florida. Her sister looks very similar but she has a gray tail (and no heart feathers on the neck area.) I finally named them Mary Kate (gray tail) and Ashley (black tail)

I just hatched a couple of Ashley’s babies and they are black. I will just plan to use them in my project as “black silkies” and if anything pops up down the line I will keep track that they came from her. Are they okay to use in a black/lavender/paint breeding project, or is gray a clashing color? I havent ever had gray, and didn’t realize that is what these girls are!

I wouldn't recommend using them in a black/lavender/paint breeding program. The genetics would only produce mixed colors.