My black chicken is changing colors

[betsyfaz]

Hello All
Sorry if this is not the right place to post
I have a black hen (Cochin) after she was fully grown she got a white spot on her head
then she began to get white spots all over it is really cute but seems strange.
Has anyone heard of this before??? She is continuing to add spots and now
her whole head is white earning her the name Mrs. Whitehead.
Is this very rare and should I call Ripleys or Guiness??

Thanks in advancd
for any info on this

Elizabeth

 

[davony's chicks]

That sounds very strange. I don't know anything about it but I am anxious to see what everyone else says. I have a very similar posting, my blue cochin has been changing colors on the tips of it's feathers and it started around it's neck and is now on the wings.

good luck!

I would like to see some pictures of that odd chicken too.

 

[Illia]

What you're describing on the Cochin is most likely mottling finally taking effect.

The cockerel in that photo is just a birchen finally feathering out - Any birchen, black copper, etc will start out black, then after a couple to several months will finally fill out with the copper, white, cream, or other such colors.

Perfectly normal.

 

[klf73]

I you sure it's a hen? I have this happen with my roos, the color "bleeds" through. As far as I know it doesn't happen with the hens so much, at least that has been my experience....

eta- forgot about the mottled cochin.....
can you post a pic?

 

[incubatingisfun]

yeah my rooster was black until six months then he feathered out and it was birchen

 

[karabbitry]

This is not all that uncommon. Lots of breeds get this occurance. It typically is in black birds that get "age white" as they go from year to year. Each year getting whiter and whiter. This is especially true with black waterfowl like Cayugas and Indies but I have seen it is cochins and rocks before as well.

As was stated though it could be mottling, it would depend on how old the bird is and when this started happening.

 

[betsyfaz]

Hello All
Here is the picture of Mrs.Whitehead when I went out to take the picture this morning I realized that she
is changing faster all the time. She is almost half and half now but for her first year to year and a half
she was totally black. First just one white dot on her head then at one point she looked like a reverse
dalmation black with white spots. I think I took some pictures but it will take some time to find them if I can.
Anyway here is the picture I took this morning.

Hope this shows up I couldn't find a way except to cut and paste!

Elizabeth

 

[klf73]

yep, looks mottled, she is pretty

I have a mottled bird that didn't look very mottled the first year, after the winter her new feathers came in and she looks totally different.

 

[chickenlover54]

She is a mottled Cochin

 

[catwalk]

http://www.the-coop.org/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=27195#Post27195
Check out this similar issue.