Unusual Orpington color-what is it?

[tberggren]

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No none of the shipped eggs hatched, they were Marans so it was obvious which were the shipped eggs. The only egg to hatch was the one she laid.


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Thank you,

 

[walkswithdog]

If that pullet came from the same birds, then yep that partridge, pg expressing itself.

Because that cockeral is a darkish partridge marked bird and that pullet has juvenille partridge feathering, and mature partridge plummage coming in on the breast.

Incomplete, as I said because the pencilling is dotty and poor rather than thicker, blacker and even.

Put em together! That's a male and a female of the same pattern!!!

 

[walkswithdog]

Side note - partridge bred to black or blue produces blue or black bodied birds that bleed red/gold.

 

[tberggren]

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The pullet is older and possible share's the same father (I have both a black and blue Orpington rooster in with my flock, they are both from the same breeder though, I got all of my B/B/S Orpingtons from Gordie at the same time)

The male is from a Splash Orpington hen and the pullet is either from a Buff Orpington or a RIR hen.

Do you still think they are both partridge and should be breed together? (I have never personally seen a partridge so have no idea)

 

[walkswithdog]

Well, I can show you partridge rocks. At least that will help some...

Partridge rock, juvenille feathered, pullet, no mature feathers.

Partridge rock, juvenille feathered, cockeral, some mature feathering on back beginning. Hence blotchy. I've since produced males that were even darker, like yours.

Partridge Rock, Cockeral (under 10 mos.), mature feathers.

And finally four shots of one of my complete pg hens which ONE of which I hope shows the pencilling well.

The chicks are cute too...

Edited to add...
OH TERRIFIC!!! That shot includes Caladan's sister, Puddle's rear end and side in some photos, see the difference in the two different pencilling patterns????

The darker bird and heavy pencilling is complete, pg. The lighter bird with the stipled pencilling is an incomplete pg bird.

 

[tberggren]

Thank you for all the photo's, I decided to try to get some close-ups
Here is what his wing looks like

and one of his breast

The dark partridge you have looks like what mine might turn out upon maturing. It is of interest to note that he originally was all black and has gradually gone more and more red.

I'm guessing that partridge must have a broad spectrum of feather patterns??

 

[Krys109uk]

I think your birds have buffs somewhere in their history. This would account for the presence of columbian &/or dark brown columbian & the loss of the melanising genes.

 

[tberggren]

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That is very possible, I unfortunately haven't had much success with getting the breeder to communicate with me.

I am trying to decide if I should play around with this and try to produce another color Orpington or if I should just cull all these guys.

Any thoughts?? Is there something here to work with or is the gene pool to much of a mess?

 

[tadkerson]

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Hi Tim

The same roosters produced this https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/5874_bild0068.jpg

Does that make it more conclusive regarding the possibility of the Columbian gene being present?

The pullet is definitely carrying the dark brown gene- her hackles are clean and a burnt orange color and she has the autosomal barring due to the dark brown gene and pattern gene. She also has some zonal modified lacing that would indicate she is carrying two pattern genes, one melanotic and the columbian gene. Her E locus is most likely birchen.

If the male produced this bird, he could be carring any of the genes I mentioned. He had to be carrying at least one pattern gene which is not unusual for blacks and a dark brown gene which would account for the red on his breast.

The coloring on your bird is not a recognized color pattern. You may be interested in the black copper pattern or the brown red pattern. Google black copper marans and you will see the pattern.
Try here also.

http://www.bevsmarans.com/black_copper.htm

Tim

 

[ozark hen]

I have some pure orp chicks that are very strange in color indeed but I am certainly not culling them. I am looking forward to seeing their chicks and future chicks from them. Culling is just a personal preference. This is how "projects" begin.