| Mottled Orpington |
| One of the projects we are currently working on are the Mottled Orpingtons. Our original black mottled orps were produced from 2 Lavender orpingtons from HinkJC stock. From there we went to a Mottled Java for more mottling and are now working on type. Continue reading below about the mottling gene courtesy of Keiths-orps.co.uk The first two pictures are of Keith's beautiful mottled orps, what we are aiming toward as our end result! Thank you Keith for all the wonderful information and pictures on Orpington color genetics! |
Property of Keith Gibbons
Property of Keith Gibbons
| Keith's exquisite Mottled Orpingtons! |
ABOUT THE MOTTLING GENE
THE MOTTLED GENE ( mo )
The mottled gene ( mo ) was discovered in 1930 by Amundson and Milne and is one of the most controversial and least
documented of all the genes.
In Orpingtons mo is partly responsible for the Mille Fleur pattern of the Jubilee Orpington and the normal mottled variety
but although both these colors are influenced by mo they have a different mix of other genes that cause the two
separate distinct feather patterns. This gene is varied in its expression from indistinct irregular mottles to a uniform
even distribution and the desired even mottling is only obtainable by years of careful selection.
The mottling gene does not cause a white splodge on top of the normal feather color but in fact when the feather is
being grown causes a lack of pigment on the first tip of the feather , followed by a black band and then the rest of the
feather takes on the bird’s particular ground color
This is another recessive gene so in theory for a bird to express mottles both parents would have to carry the gene.
However in practice a degree of mottling can appear on a bird that only had one mottled parent. I have noticed that my
split mottled birds often have white wing tips and the odd faint mottles.
Mottled Orpingtons are a color for the patient breeder and aiming for perfection is a slow and long process. Mottled
Orpington growers can show little expression of the mottles and only after the first moult into their adult plumage do they
show their full colour. But over the years after each consecutive moult the mottling can increase to show a greater
expanse of white and thus causing a blurred and muddled appearance. Also the mottled expression on an individual
feather can change so if a perfectly mottled feather was plucked on its regrowth it may either return the same, increase
the mottling or show no signs of mottling.
Because the mottling gene causes a lack of pigment and is not a color changing gene it can be introduced onto any
solid colour but remembering that if any colour diluting genes are also present that the black band will either change
colour or become less visible.
For example my Large Fowl Black Mottled Orpingtons still have a pigment free tip to the feather followed by a Black
band and then followed by a Black ground color to the rest of the feather.
But because the band and the ground color are the same it gives the appearance of just a white tipped feather but if
you inspect the feather closely the black band is a dull black and the rest of the feather is a brighter black with the
desired Orpington Green sheen.
So if I chose to breed Mottled Blue Orpingtons then the action of the Blue gene would cause both the Black band and
the ground color of the feather to become Blue thus causing the appearance of a white tipped Blue feather.
Because the Mille Fleur pattern of the Jubilee Orpington contains a different mix of genes to the standard mottled variety
it if possible to change just the color of the black band.
I was very lucky this year to see in person a Blue Jubilee Orpington Bantam cockerel that had been created by Bob
Follows. This cockerel had the normal pigment free tip, followed by a Blue band and then the standard deep Red
ground color.
In contrast I hope to breed during 2011 a Porcelain Orpington Bantam. This color is the standard Mille Fleur Jubilee
Orpington diluted by a double factor of the Lavender gene.
THE MOTTLED GENE ( mo )
The mottled gene ( mo ) was discovered in 1930 by Amundson and Milne and is one of the most controversial and least
documented of all the genes.
In Orpingtons mo is partly responsible for the Mille Fleur pattern of the Jubilee Orpington and the normal mottled variety
but although both these colors are influenced by mo they have a different mix of other genes that cause the two
separate distinct feather patterns. This gene is varied in its expression from indistinct irregular mottles to a uniform
even distribution and the desired even mottling is only obtainable by years of careful selection.
The mottling gene does not cause a white splodge on top of the normal feather color but in fact when the feather is
being grown causes a lack of pigment on the first tip of the feather , followed by a black band and then the rest of the
feather takes on the bird’s particular ground color
This is another recessive gene so in theory for a bird to express mottles both parents would have to carry the gene.
However in practice a degree of mottling can appear on a bird that only had one mottled parent. I have noticed that my
split mottled birds often have white wing tips and the odd faint mottles.
Mottled Orpingtons are a color for the patient breeder and aiming for perfection is a slow and long process. Mottled
Orpington growers can show little expression of the mottles and only after the first moult into their adult plumage do they
show their full colour. But over the years after each consecutive moult the mottling can increase to show a greater
expanse of white and thus causing a blurred and muddled appearance. Also the mottled expression on an individual
feather can change so if a perfectly mottled feather was plucked on its regrowth it may either return the same, increase
the mottling or show no signs of mottling.
Because the mottling gene causes a lack of pigment and is not a color changing gene it can be introduced onto any
solid colour but remembering that if any colour diluting genes are also present that the black band will either change
colour or become less visible.
For example my Large Fowl Black Mottled Orpingtons still have a pigment free tip to the feather followed by a Black
band and then followed by a Black ground color to the rest of the feather.
But because the band and the ground color are the same it gives the appearance of just a white tipped feather but if
you inspect the feather closely the black band is a dull black and the rest of the feather is a brighter black with the
desired Orpington Green sheen.
So if I chose to breed Mottled Blue Orpingtons then the action of the Blue gene would cause both the Black band and
the ground color of the feather to become Blue thus causing the appearance of a white tipped Blue feather.
Because the Mille Fleur pattern of the Jubilee Orpington contains a different mix of genes to the standard mottled variety
it if possible to change just the color of the black band.
I was very lucky this year to see in person a Blue Jubilee Orpington Bantam cockerel that had been created by Bob
Follows. This cockerel had the normal pigment free tip, followed by a Blue band and then the standard deep Red
ground color.
In contrast I hope to breed during 2011 a Porcelain Orpington Bantam. This color is the standard Mille Fleur Jubilee
Orpington diluted by a double factor of the Lavender gene.
Pictures of our
project birds
project birds
| Check back often for new and updated pictures |
