Trying to breed for beautiful lacing, mottling, or rare colours like Porcelain or Blue Salmon? This chicken colour genetics guide is designed for hobbyists, with easy visuals and explanations for the genes that shape feather colour and pattern—especially in Brahmas and heritage breeds.
1. E-Series: The Base Colour Genes
These are the foundation of feather colour. They determine whether your bird is black-based, partridge-patterned, or something in between:
- e+ (wild-type): base for partridge/penciled birds. Gives males black and red; females muted brown with penciling. Genotype:
e+/e+ - eb (brown): very similar to e+, but with softer penciling. Common in Brahmas. Genotype:
eb/eb - E (extended black): overrides other genes to produce mostly black birds. Genotype:
E/E - Birchen (ER): black with silver or gold in the hackles. Rare in Brahmas.
- Wheaten (eWh): red shoulders and hackles, pale cream body in hens. Easily mistaken for buff. Recessive to all other E-series genes.
2. Modifiers: Genes That Soften or Shift Colour
Modifiers don’t create patterns—they influence the intensity of colour. These are key to getting Blue, Splash, Lavender, or diluted buff colours:
- Bl (Blue): one dose (
Bl/bl+) dilutes black to slate-blue. Two doses (Bl/Bl) create Splash (very pale, nearly white with bluish tinge). - Lav (Lavender): only shows when homozygous
lav/lav. Softens black to pastel grey and red to pale buff. Essential for Porcelain colour. - Cream (Ig/In): suppresses red pigment, turning buff into pale lemon or cream. Found in Isabell and Lemon Pyle types.
Keep in mind: Blue is NOT the same as Lavender. Blue follows an incomplete dominant pattern; Lavender is recessive.
3. Distributors: Where Colour Appears on the Body
These genes influence placement of pigment—not the colour itself:
- Co (Columbian): pushes black pigment to the neck and tail, removing it from wings and body. Found in Buff Columbian and Light Brahmas.
- Ml (Melanotic): brings black pigment back into the shoulders, back, and wings—especially when combined with Pg. Essential for lacing. Genotype:
Ml/Ml - Db (Dark brown): deepens red and darkens hackles. Important for red-laced and gold-laced varieties.
4. Pattern Genes: What Your Feathers Look Like
Once you have base + placement, pattern genes define whether feathers are solid, laced, barred, or tipped.
- Pg (Pattern): enables penciling and lacing—especially in combination with Ml. Found in gold-laced, penciled, and partridge lines. Genotype:
Pg/Pg - mo (Mottling): adds white tips or spots on feathers. Must be
mo/moto express. Used to create Mille Fleur, Porcelain, and Mottled patterns. - B (Barring): adds black and white striping across feathers. Rare in Brahmas. Must be heterozygous to avoid washed-out look.
Bonus: What is Tollbunt?
When Columbian (Co), Pg (Pattern), Ml (Melanotic), and mo (Mottling) are all present, they clash in a dramatic way. The result? Tollbunt: a pattern of reddish or gold laced feathers with white tips on a black base.
Because these genes don’t always cooperate, Tollbunt is notoriously hard to stabilize. You may see incomplete lacing, messy blotches, or colour bleeding. But with careful selective breeding (homozygous for each gene), the result is stunning.
Conclusion
Chicken colour genetics may seem like a mystery, but once you understand the core layers—base, modifiers, placement, and pattern—it becomes a fun breeding tool. Use this cheat sheet to decode your birds and plan future pairings. Whether you’re breeding toward Porcelain, Blue Salmon, or fancy laced patterns, each bird is a feathered genetics puzzle waiting to be solved.