What color would you call this Orpington cockerel?

[HollowOfWisps]

This is Ronan. He is right around 5 months and came from one of Papa’s Poultry surprise Orpington boxes so he wasn’t exactly labeled. I thought he was a golden laced because he looked pretty close to a golden laced as a chick, but not exactly. I know Jeff has a lot of projects colors going on, but golden laced is the closest color he has listed. Ronan’s lacing has just started to fill in this month, but as you can see it is not coming in golden… it is instead rather yellow? I added a pic of the back of his head next to one of my lavenders so you can see that the lacing is also not white, but definitely yellow (even more so in person). I was just asked what color he is considered, but I don’t know what exactly to call him?

 

[tlcmurphy]

He’s gorgeous!

 

[nuthatched]

Looks sorta like Birchen?

 

[fluffycrow]

I agree, he's stunning !!! But aren't all (English) Orpingtons stunning? Anyways. @ColtHandorf @Auntiejessi3 @NagemTX

 

[NatJ]

This is Ronan. He is right around 5 months and came from one of Papa’s Poultry surprise Orpington boxes so he wasn’t exactly labeled. I thought he was a golden laced because he looked pretty close to a golden laced as a chick, but not exactly. I know Jeff has a lot of projects colors going on, but golden laced is the closest color he has listed. Ronan’s lacing has just started to fill in this month, but as you can see it is not coming in golden… it is instead rather yellow? I added a pic of the back of his head next to one of my lavenders so you can see that the lacing is also not white, but definitely yellow (even more so in person). I was just asked what color he is considered, but I don’t know what exactly to call him?

Maybe a partially laced gold-silver split?

"Partially laced" because I can't think of any other logical thing to call that pattern.

"Gold-silver split" meaning a chicken that has one copy of the gold gene and one copy of the silver gene. Chickens that have both the gold and silver genes show mostly silver (which is why it is considered dominant), but the silver can be yellowish (presumably affected by the recessive gold gene they are carrying.)

If he could be a from a project or a variety that is still being developed, that would explain why he does not look right for any specific one that you can find.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Maybe a partially laced gold-silver split?

"Partially laced" because I can't think of any other logical thing to call that pattern.

"Gold-silver split" meaning a chicken that has one copy of the gold gene and one copy of the silver gene. Chickens that have both the gold and silver genes show mostly silver (which is why it is considered dominant), but the silver can be yellowish (presumably affected by the recessive gold gene they are carrying.)

If he could be a from a project or a variety that is still being developed, that would explain why he does not look right for any specific one that you can find.

That would make sense especially since he is oddly colored/patterned. I wasn’t sure if his lacing would fill in and become more defined as he got older like my Wyandottes did or stay patchy.

 

[NagemTX]

Silver w/ cream is how I get that coloring in my Phoenixs.

 

[NatJ]

That would make sense especially since he is oddly colored/patterned. I wasn’t sure if his lacing would fill in and become more defined as he got older like my Wyandottes did or stay patchy.

I do not know how this pattern will change as he gets older (more lacing, less lacing, or something different yet.) I would be curious to see updated photos as he matures.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I do not know how this pattern will change as he gets older (more lacing, less lacing, or something different yet.) I would be curious to see updated photos as he matures.

I originally wasn’t sure if I was going to keep him, but I might have to. I ended up with 12 cockerels out of this batch and several unique colors which is making it hard to choose I have Isabel, Isabel Laced Lavender, Blue Partridge along with the usual splash, black, lavender and blue cockerels to choose from.

 

[NagemTX]

I originally wasn’t sure if I was going to keep him, but I might have to. I ended up with 12 cockerels out of this batch and several unique colors which is making it hard to choose I have Isabel, Isabel Laced Lavender, Blue Partridge along with the usual splash, black, lavender and blue cockerels to choose from.

Nice! I would have a hard time choosing. Heck I have those issues now, lol.