So is he Mottled, or is he just a carrier?

[Trish1974]

How much mottling needs to be present for a chicken to be considered "mottled"? This is Manolito. He is a 7 month old Araucana cockerel. His mother was recessive and his father was recessive for mottling. His mother shows a mottled edge on only one primary feather-that's it. I did not get to see his father. I received him and his siblings (along with their mother) from renowned breeder Nancy Utterback when they were 9 or 10 weeks old. Mano was heavily mottled as a chick but now only shows mottled tips on 2 body feathers, 1 primary feather, 2 primary feathers are all white, and he has a white spot on his neck and a few feathers on his head. His tufts however are mottled. They were picked out but are now growing back in and have appeared to have stayed mottled. These are pictures of how his mottling decreased over time. Is he considered mottled, or just a carrier?

9/10 weeks old:

4 weeks later:

Now:

Would greatly appreciate the opinions of @The Moonshiner and @Sneebsey

 

[Cyprus]

He is technically mottled, but he is low expression. Not something I would breed for.

 

[Sneebsey]

I believe you're correct, Trish; a mottled carrier can show the odd white marking, but I would expect more in a true mottled bird, even with low expression.

With that said, there are other possible reasons for the white; a cock in his eclipse can also show white, or it could be silver leakage.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I agree.
I'm finding the mottled gene being real interesting.
I've never had a mottled bird without significantly more mottling then that.
I've also had split to mottled birds with a few white spots and many without any.
I've also noticed that almost all mine have increased the amount of mottling with age. Never had any lose white with age.
Also agree it could be something else. I've had duckwing birds that would get some white every now and again. I didn't know the exact cause but like mottling or barred it was like the color just got turned off in a few spots.

 

[nicalandia]

I have seen recessive mottling faintly expressed on some crested birds, always shown at the top of the bird.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I've seen it the most on buff or red birds

 

[Trish1974]

So if he is recessive for mottling and I breed him back to his mother, who is also a carrier, will I get 25% or 50% mottled offspring?

 

[The Moonshiner]

If he carries one gene and so does she you will get 25% mottled, 25% no gene for it and 50% carriers.
If he doesn't have the gene at all bred to her you would get 50% carriers and 50% without the gene.
If he was indeed mottled 50% mottled and 50% carriers.
With enough test breeding with her you would know for sure what he has.

 

[Trish1974]

So if he is recessive for mottling and I breed him back to his mother, who is also a carrier, will I get 25% or 50% mottled offspring?

Just hatched this chick from the above mentioned parents. Hopefully it stays mottled and not fade like its father.

 

[nicalandia]

That's a mottled chick.!