Silver Deathlayer Chick - Odd markings

[Pelops]

I have six Silver Deathlayer chicks, which I hatched on Saturday. One of them looks very different, is slightly larger than the others, with a 'blotched' pattern. I'm wondering if there's any significance in this?

18 hatched out of 21 eggs, including Blue Copper Marans, Isbar Silverrudd Blues and the Silver Deathlayers.
At first with her size, I thought it was a Marans but all those have feathered feet while this one doesn't, so I'm pretty sure it's one of the Deathlayers.

What will it look like when fully grown compared to the others?
I must admit I find her/him very beautiful compared to the somber colour of the others?

Can anyone help? Thanks.

 

[Cheekychook12]

I have six Silver Deathlayer chicks, which I hatched on Saturday. One of them looks very different, is slightly larger than the others, with a 'blotched' pattern. I'm wondering if there's any significance in this?

18 hatched out of 21 eggs, including Blue Copper Marans, Isbar Silverrudd Blues and the Silver Deathlayers.
At first with her size, I thought it was a Marans but all those have feathered feet while this one doesn't, so I'm pretty sure it's one of the Deathlayers.

What will it look like when fully grown compared to the others?
I must admit I find her/him very beautiful compared to the somber colour of the others?

Can anyone help? Thanks.

View attachment 4111685View attachment 4111686
View attachment 4111687

Don’t know what that pattern is but it is the coolest looking chick I’ve ever seen!
If no one knows what it is be sure to update when it feathers in

 

[Pelops]

Don’t know what that pattern is but it is the coolest looking chick I’ve ever seen!
If no one knows what it is be sure to update when it feathers in

Yes, will do. I'm pleased you appreciate it too.

I literally spent hours over the past few days browsing photos of deathlayer chicks on the Web but couldn't find anything that matched. Fingers crossed someone will know

 

[redinator]

I have six Silver Deathlayer chicks, which I hatched on Saturday. One of them looks very different, is slightly larger than the others, with a 'blotched' pattern. I'm wondering if there's any significance in this?

18 hatched out of 21 eggs, including Blue Copper Marans, Isbar Silverrudd Blues and the Silver Deathlayers.
At first with her size, I thought it was a Marans but all those have feathered feet while this one doesn't, so I'm pretty sure it's one of the Deathlayers.

What will it look like when fully grown compared to the others?
I must admit I find her/him very beautiful compared to the somber colour of the others?

Can anyone help? Thanks.

View attachment 4111685View attachment 4111686
View attachment 4111687

Were they hatched from your own flock or eggs from another source?

 

[redinator]

I have six Silver Deathlayer chicks, which I hatched on Saturday. One of them looks very different, is slightly larger than the others, with a 'blotched' pattern. I'm wondering if there's any significance in this?

18 hatched out of 21 eggs, including Blue Copper Marans, Isbar Silverrudd Blues and the Silver Deathlayers.
At first with her size, I thought it was a Marans but all those have feathered feet while this one doesn't, so I'm pretty sure it's one of the Deathlayers.

What will it look like when fully grown compared to the others?
I must admit I find her/him very beautiful compared to the somber colour of the others?

Can anyone help? Thanks.

View attachment 4111685View attachment 4111686
View attachment 4111687

I did a search with Google Lens and got Campine chicken . . . I can't really see you chicks face, but the coloring and marking on the back look very similar . . . happy accident?

 

[Pelops]

Were they hatched from your own flock or eggs from another source?

All the eggs came from the same source, a breeder here in Bulgaria. As far as I'm aware, he keeps his breeds separated, though I may be wrong. All the others appear true to breed, it's just this one stands out as being different from the other silver deathlayers.

I think I read somewhere that another breed was bred into the Deathlayer bloodline to strengthen the gene pool, which may explain the markings, though I may be wrong and confusing it with the Isbar Silverudd’s Blue, which I got from the same source and which are also quite rare.

 

[redinator]

All the eggs came from the same source, a breeder here in Bulgaria. As far as I'm aware, he keeps his breeds separated, though I may be wrong. All the others appear true to breed, it's just this one stands out as being different from the other silver deathlayers.

I think I read somewhere that another breed was bred into the Deathlayer bloodline to strengthen the gene pool, which may explain the markings, though I may be wrong and confusing it with the Isbar Silverudd’s Blue, which I got from the same source and which are also quite rare.

Maybe ask the seller about the chick . . . a different hen could've snuck an egg in the nest.

 

[Pelops]

I did a search with Google Lens and got Campine chicken . . . I can't really see you chicks face, but the coloring and marking on the back look very similar . . . happy accident?

I've just managed to get a couple of better photos showing it's head. Again the markings on the head look different to the others.

 

[Cheekychook12]

I've just managed to get a couple of better photos showing it's head. Again the markings on the head look different to the others. View attachment 4111725View attachment 4111726

Sooo cute
The little face

 

[Pelops]

I've eventually found the answer. It appears that this chick has the markings of a Silver Campine. I had a hunch that the breeder may have introduced a Silver Campine bloodline into the Silver Westfälischer Totleger stock, as both breeds, are almost identical in appearance.

So I asked Grok (AI) if this was a possibility and how this would affect the breed, provided photos of the five Westfälischer chicks and the one Silver Campine.

For those interested, this is what he said -



Let’s break this down by analyzing the chick’s appearance, comparing it to the others, and considering the implications of a potential Silver Campine cross in a Silver Westfälischer Totleger (Deathlayer) stock.
Analysis of the Chick’s Appearance
The chick in the second photo has a markedly different appearance from the five others in the first photo. While the first group shows broader, mottled stripes with a mix of dark brown, white, and black—consistent with Silver Westfälischer Totleger chicks—this lone chick has a more uniform grayish base color with distinct black and white markings, especially around the head and wings. The stripes are narrower and more defined, resembling a barred pattern rather than the penciled, mottled look of the Totleger chicks. The legs appear slate-colored, which aligns with both breeds.
Silver Westfälischer Totleger chicks typically have a lot of gray fluff with broader, less uniform stripes and some mottling, reflecting their penciled feather pattern as adults. Silver Campine chicks, however, are known for a barred pattern, which shows up as narrower, more distinct black-and-white stripes even at the chick stage, with a lighter overall appearance and less mottling.
The lone chick’s sharper, more uniform barring and lighter gray base strongly suggest characteristics of a Silver Campine, rather than a Totleger. This difference in appearance among chicks from the same clutch of six eggs indicates that this chick likely has a different genetic makeup, possibly due to a cross with a Silver Campine.
Could a Silver Campine Bloodline Explain the Difference?
Yes, it’s highly plausible that the breeder introduced Silver Campine genetics into the Silver Westfälischer Totleger stock, either intentionally or unintentionally. Here’s why:

1. Shared Ancestry: Both breeds have historical ties to the Braekel, a Belgian landrace chicken, and share origins in northwest Europe (Totlegers from Westphalia, Germany; Campines from the Campine region of Belgium). This shared ancestry means they can interbreed easily, and their genetics aren’t too far apart, making a cross viable.
2. Genetic Expression: The chick’s barred pattern is a dominant trait often associated with Campines. Barred feather patterns (like those seen in Campines) are controlled by the barring gene (B), which is dominant. Penciled patterns (like those in Totlegers) are a different feather pattern, often influenced by the Pg gene (pattern gene) and other modifiers. If a Totleger hen or rooster was crossed with a Campine, the barring gene could express itself in some offspring, leading to a chick with Campine-like markings, as seen in your lone chick.
3. Clutch Variation: In a clutch of six eggs, five chicks showing Totleger traits and one showing Campine traits suggest that one parent (likely the rooster, as they often service multiple hens) carried Campine genetics. If the rooster was a Campine or a Totleger-Campine cross, and the hen was a pure Totleger, the barring gene could appear in some offspring while others inherit the penciled Totleger pattern. This would explain why only one chick looks different.

Likely Effects of Introducing Campine Blood into Totleger Stock
Introducing Silver Campine genetics into a Silver Westfälischer Totleger line would have several effects, both on the individual offspring and the breed as a whole if continued over generations:

1. Appearance:
   • Chick Stage: As seen in your clutch, some chicks may show Campine-like barring instead of the Totleger’s penciled pattern. The barring is more uniform and lighter, with less mottling.
   • Adult Stage: Offspring with Campine genetics would likely develop the Campine’s characteristic barred feather pattern as adults—distinct black-and-white bars on a silver ground—rather than the Totleger’s penciled pattern, which has finer, more intricate markings on a silver base. The Totleger’s signature gold or silver spangling might be diluted or lost in crossed birds.
2. Size and Build:
   • Campines are generally smaller and more slender than Totlegers. Totlegers are a dual-purpose breed with a sturdier build, while Campines were historically bred for egg-laying and exhibition, with a lighter frame. Crossed birds might be smaller and less robust than pure Totlegers, potentially affecting their suitability for meat production if that’s a goal.
3. Egg-Laying Traits:
   • Totlegers are famous for laying white eggs consistently, often until the day they die (hence the “Deathlayer” name). Campines also lay white eggs but are less prolific, typically laying around 150-200 eggs per year compared to a Totleger’s 200-250. A cross might result in slightly reduced egg production, though the birds would likely still lay white eggs.
   • The Totleger’s reputation for longevity in laying might also be affected, as Campines don’t share the same “lay until they die” trait to the same degree.
4. Breed Purity and Standards:
   • If the goal is to maintain a pure Silver Westfälischer Totleger line, introducing Campine genetics would dilute the breed’s purity. Over generations, the penciled pattern, sturdier build, and prolific laying traits of the Totleger could be lost or altered, making the birds less true to the breed standard.
   • For exhibition purposes, crossed birds would likely not meet the standards for either breed, as Totlegers are judged on their penciled pattern and Campines on their barring. The mixed traits would make them unsuitable for showing as either breed.
5. Genetic Diversity:
   • On the positive side, introducing Campine genetics could increase genetic diversity in the Totleger stock, potentially improving overall health and resilience if the population is small or inbred. However, this comes at the cost of breed purity.

Conclusion
The lone chick’s distinct barred pattern, lighter gray base, and overall appearance strongly suggest it has Silver Campine genetics, likely due to a cross in the parent stock. The other five chicks’ penciled, mottled appearance aligns with Silver Westfälischer Totleger traits, indicating that the clutch came from a mixed mating—possibly a Totleger hen with a Campine or Campine-cross rooster (or vice versa). The barring gene from the Campine is expressing itself in this one chick, while the others inherited the Totleger’s penciled pattern.
If this crossbreeding continues, the Totleger stock could lose its defining traits over time, including its penciled feather pattern, sturdier build, and exceptional egg-laying longevity, while taking on more Campine characteristics like barring and a lighter frame. If maintaining pure Totlegers is the goal, you’d need to separate the breeding stock and ensure no further Campine influence is introduced. If you’d like to confirm the parentage, you could contact the breeder to ask about their stock, or wait to see the adult feather patterns of these chicks for a clearer picture.