Laced Brahmas

What is Lacing?

Lacing means a single dark or light outline around each feather, creating a bold edge. In Brahmas it results from Pattern (Pg), Melanotic (Ml), and Columbian restriction (Co) layered on a coloured base. Unlike penciling, which produces multiple arcs, lacing forms one uniform band. By changing the pigment at the feather edge (black, blue, or white), different laced varieties appear.

mottledlacedroo
One of our black laced gold brahma roosters, that also has mottling (see the white tips).

Laced Brahmas - visual guide

Lacing is a single dark or light outline around each feather (not to be confused with penciling’s multiple arcs). In Brahmas, it’s built by layering Pattern (Pg), Melanotic (Ml), and Columbian restriction (Co) on a coloured base. Changing the pigment at the feather edge (black → blue → white) creates the major laced varieties.

How lacing is built

Base colour + Pg + Ml + Co (+ optional diluters)
Gold/Red or Silver ground
Pg
Ml
Co
Optional: Bl (Blue) to dilute black → blue edge; I (Dominant White) to block black → white edge
Phenotype: pigment is concentrated at feather edges → a single bold outline (the “lacing”)

Black Laced Gold

s+ + Pg Ml Co
Centre: rich gold
Edge: black

Classic lacing; select for sharp, even edges.

White Laced Red

s+ + Pg Ml Co + I
Centre: deep red
Edge: white (Dominant White blocks black)

Crisp white outline; rarer project colour.

Blue Laced

s+ + Pg Ml Co + Bl/bl+
Centre: gold/red
Edge: slate blue (Blue dilutes black)

Softer contrast than black; incomplete dominance.

Buff Laced

buff base + Pg Ml Co + I
Centre: golden buff
Edge: white (Dominant White blocks black)

Seen in other breeds (e.g., Polish); experimental in Brahmas.

Silver Laced

S + Pg Ml Co
Centre: silver
Edge: black

Common in Wyandottes; project colour in Brahmas.

Breeding Notes

  • Lacing requires the trio Pg + Ml + Co; without them, feathers revert to penciling or solid colour.
  • Black lacing expresses when sufficient pigment is present.
  • Dominant White (I) blocks black at the edges → white lacing.
  • Blue (Bl) dilutes black at the edges → slate blue lacing.
  • Maintaining sharp, even outlines needs strict selection; lacing can blur or thicken easily without careful breeding.