Mottled chick down differences? PICs

[hinkjc]

Why the differences in the chick down we are seeing on our mottled chicks. Both groups of chicks are from the same mothers, but different fathers. Can anyone explain why some look cream from the one father and the ones from the other father are more black with cream underside and up the face?

These are my orpington mottled project chicks - 3rd gen (they look the same as the previous generation):

These cream chicks feather in to look like this:

The chicks below are from my Speckled X Orp breeding - 2nd generation.

I'd imagine it has to do with the E locus, but can someone explain in easy to understand terms.

 

[Krys109uk]

The lower chicks are what I usually see from my mottled Orps. They look usual for extended black chicks with mottling.

Those pale chicks are interesting. What was different in their father's background? What are the other chicks in with them?

I have also heard of some mottled chicks which have penguin down.

Look at this page:
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGD/Japs/BRKJapChix.html

On this page there are the penguin type down mottled chicks & at the bottom there are some mottled chick which have down like your light chicks. I looked at this page because I remembered Kaz from Aus having mottled chicks with a different down colour to that I am used to.

I am really interested to hear more about their down. Like you say, it could be something to do with their e-allele or it could be a combination of that & other genes.

 

[lockedhearts]

Not sure on those, but my mottled cochins are the yellow with black on the backs. They are gorgeous though!

 

[insiderart]

Very interesting how it appears only some have a dot on their heads.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi! That's peculiar!
My mottled Cochins hatch with 'penguin' down and my mottled Japanese hatch with yellow down (some with black headspots and some without).
I asked before if there was a difference in the type of mottling, but don't recall getting an answer.

Lisa

 

[Krys109uk]

I can't think of how to tell their allele at the e-locus.......what colour are your bird's legs when they mature?

 

[becky3086]

My mottled Japanese hatched out both ways and they still all turned out mottled and when I posted on here, the person who sold me the eggs said that that was normal and they all would still be mottled and they were.

 

[Krys109uk]

My mottled Japanese hatched out both ways and they still all turned out mottled

We're trying to ascertain why the down colour is different. Which e-allele are Mottled Japs usually, & which down colour is most usual? What colour are the legs of your mottled japs?​

 

[rancher hicks]

Oh for petes' sake! Who cares, they're cute and I'm sure if you offered them you'd have plenty of takers.

 

[hinkjc]

The chicks for mottled orps on feathersite are almost in between what I am seeing, but closer to the 2nd group. http://feathersite.com/Poultry/CGK/Orps/BRKOrps.html#BOrpChik

The other chicks in with the first group are from my lavender orp project. I should have noted to ignore those, as they are just brooding together. Sorry about any confusion.

becky, all of mine are feathering in mottled too, so I don't think it's anything to be concerned with. Just curious what causes the difference. It doesn't seem there is much experimental research on this, so I try to keep it documented well.

Their legs are typically white..somtimes with a bit of mottling (black/gray specks) on the shanks.