Understanding white...

[Godiva]

I am pretty ignorant about chicken genetics but was wondering if someone could explain why my white orpington chicks are not a uniform yellow, but rather like muted pandas lol. I have read that white chickens can be many colours 'under' the white. So what would this 'colour' be please? I hope this makes sense?

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

Reminds me of a splash, do you have pictures of the parents : )

 

[Godiva]

No - they're hatchery birds

 

[Godiva]

Here are a couple more pics

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

No - they're hatchery birds

Oh okay!! Then I vote they might be splash colored! Not white : D *maybe* lavender but I don't have any experience with a lavender bird, they look a lot like the splash chicks/chickens I've had, but sometimes splash is so light that they can appear white (my Cochin was this way, she had 4 splash feathers haha!) Where did you buy these guys? : D

 

[Godiva]

McMurray

 

[Godiva]

So do you think they'll look white, but have the splash genetics? Or will the splash be visible?

 

[LizzzyJo]

My lavender Orpingtons always look like this (panda-esk) as babies and turn into solid light gray birds.

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

So do you think they'll look white, but have the splash genetics? Or will the splash be visible?

It might be hard to tell until they feather in, even then my Cochin I mentioned before had some splash feathers as a chick, turned white for her first year then every year since got like 2-3 light pale splash feathers every year after that : ) if they are splash though they'll have the splash gene I believe

 

[Godiva]

They're really cute - fortunately I am not needing a specific colour - just a nice personality rooster for my layer flock. I have Australorp pullets and a couple of beautiful English orpington pullets that need a roo...