Chick down can vary from normal chipmunk to dark chipmunk to solid brownish black depending on the melanizer in question. Typical signs in females are black back of the head and upper neck, heavier stippling and more black looking (darker) flights and tail. Sometimes halfmoontype spangling or lacing (outer rim) is seen on the body of the females. If the female is salmonbreasted the centre would be least affected from this effect. Also expression of red may be enhanced, also on the males. The males can look like dark versions of the black breasted red, with more dark "undercolor" on the hackles (mostly covered) and maybe heavier hackle and saddle striping. Well melanized versions can be black hackled towards the so called "brassy back" color. Finally partridge/duckwing can be melanized to such extend that both sexes would be solid black looking. In crossings with columbian chickens this solid black behaves different from the solid black based on extended black or birchen (eg Jersey giant)
