The basics of color......

[Henk69]

Yes, gold is the groundcolor, and black is the pattern color.

Partridge Rock should look the same as partridge wyandotte but the official names often do not reflect what they are genetically.

Groundcolor can be silver, cream (=diluted gold), gold, buff (=equalized gold), red and finally isabel.
Silver birds can express red leakage, but a red groundcolor is generally genetically based on gold with red enhancers. The silver/gold gene is sexlinked.

A modifier is a gene that changes the expression of another mutation, while on its own it is not visible.
That is not the case with the typical red enhancers in chickens: Mahogany Mh and autosomal red.
Not much modifiers in chicken genetics.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

White prevents pigment. Dominant white and recessive white work differently at the cellular level. Recessive white prevents the creation of pigment. In dominant white, the pigment is created, but the "transportation system" that places black pigment in the feather (wherever in the feather it may be headed for) is messed up, so it cannot get where it is otherwise supposed to be. The white genes do not "know" what pattern genes may be present; they simply act on the creation or transportation of pigment.

Gold is ground; silver is ground; red is ground (although the colour is enhanced). Any variety with red in the name has mahogany or autosomal red or both. Black or any of its dilutions create the patterns on patterned feathers.

The partridge pattern is the same on partridge rocks as on partridge wyandottes. Can you show me an example of what you are seeing as a difference? (I'm thinking maybe you are mixing up terms or varieties?) Partridge patterning is sometimes called multiple lacing. Genetics of Chicken Colours shows examples of both lacing and penciling. You can also see examples is this table and post 1 of this thread.

 

[horsebackjenn]

Looking for pictures on the feathersite, I see that you are correct, the partridge rock are pencilled like the partridge wyandotte. I don't know what happened to the chicks I ordered this year from our local hatchery, but they are the brilliant deep red Partridge color (visually), but their pattern is barred rather than pencilled. I hadn't even looked for pictures of them, so I thought that is how they were supposed to be, lol. They are beautiful, but definately not penciled as they should be, lol.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Looking for pictures on the feathersite, I see that you are correct, the partridge rock are pencilled like the partridge wyandotte. I don't know what happened to the chicks I ordered this year from our local hatchery, but they are the brilliant deep red Partridge color (visually), but their pattern is barred rather than pencilled. I hadn't even looked for pictures of them, so I thought that is how they were supposed to be, lol. They are beautiful, but definately not penciled as they should be, lol.

How old are they? Juvenile penciling can look like bars...

Hatchery birds usually do not have the quality of traits as birds from private breeders.

 

[horsebackjenn]

They are about 3-4 months old. I just got a new back of the same chicks in a month ago, and their patterns look a little different, so maybe they just sent the wrong ones the first time or something.