Mottled Orpinton Gene

[number1fishroom]

We hatched this black orpington pullet from a batch of eggs I bought. I actually had 7 pullets and no cockreils but decided to keep only this one because she was bigger nicer looking. I was planning on breeding her to what I thought would be a pair or lavevder orpingtons to improve their size and fluff. However they pair also turned out to be pullets. When I looked at this picture my mother sent me of her I realized on her back flanks you can see light mottling. I now have a lemon cuckoo rooster or a laveder rooster to breed her to but an thinking of using a mottled java roo to strengthen and bring out the gene more. What do you think I should?

 

[draye]

By no means am I a genetics expert, but I do alot of crosses trying to get what I want in my chickens.
I wouls try getting a Mottled Java to put over the hens to try to bring it out myself. Javas are usually nice sized chickens. You'd have to do some back crosses to get them back to looking like Orpingtons though.

Maybe someone will come along in a bit to answer your question.
Usually when someone answers in a thread others come along.

Have a good day and good luck in you endevouers.

 

[HenThymes]

Do you have pictures you can share?? What breeder did she come from?? How old is she? I have seen and had juvi blacks that start with some white tips & what looks like mottling but it always disappears by time they get their full adult feathering.