My big, gentle rooster

[Carolyn]

My rooster was a free chick when I purchased blue orpingtons chicks bred and hatched by an individual. The father was a very large blue Orpington that was possibly an English Orpington. The mother had been in his flock awhile and he said she ocassionally would have a chick with quail like markings and some had feathered feet although mine did not.
At 5 months he has neither crowed nor pestered the ladies. He is gentle and very large. Bigger than the blue rooster from the same flock and slightly taller than my English Buff Orpington rooster.
Today I noticed that is comb that I thought was single, actually has a row of smaller points on each side.
Can you help me figure out what bloodline might be mixed in with the blue Orpington and what is the name of that type of comb?
Thanks.

 

[Carolyn]

A better look at the comb.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My thoughts are on a buttercup somewhere in his breeding. Otherwise there are also breeds with a v comb.

 

[Carolyn]

That was one I thought about but he is very large and buttercups are not large birds. The comb actuall had a large center comb with a row on each side of much smaller points. I am not certain what to call it? I looked at the 9 recognized comb types and can't find a clear match.

 

[Kev]

Need a better pic, head on, maybe from top down and not through wire.

from what you say and vaguely from pic, it may be a pea comb, with the three rows of bumps being greatly exaggerated.

Crosses with pea combs can throw really funky combs, with quite a lot of variation.

One other clue to his having a pea comb is his wattles are reduced. Pea comb does that.

 

[Carolyn]

I will try to get some better pictures in a day or two. I haven't had much experience with mixed breeds and have never been around brahmas but given the fact feathered feet are in the history, he is more laid back and gentle than my English Orpington and giving him some competition size wise, that is the breed I suspect in his history. That would be a pea comb crossed with a single and his comb sure doesn't meet any standards. Thanks.

 

[Kev]

I will try to get some better pictures in a day or two. I haven't had much experience with mixed breeds and have never been around brahmas but given the fact feathered feet are in the history, he is more laid back and gentle than my English Orpington and giving him some competition size wise, that is the breed I suspect in his history. That would be a pea comb crossed with a single and his comb sure doesn't meet any standards. Thanks.

Excellent deduction, and now that you mention it.. he does look somewhat brahma-ish. The brahmas I had a long time ago were huge, calm and slow to mature birds.

 

[Carolyn]

 

[Carolyn]

Here is a picture with my English Buff Orpington and the background roo is a blue orp from the same flock with an English Blue orp father. Predator problems have neccesitated the cage confinement for a few days and they are doing well together.

 

[Carolyn]

He is about a month older in the close up of his comb.
I can't seem to get the other picture uploaded.

Thanks for your help. I think he had a mixed brahma mama.