List of chicken colours
Breeders and fanciers of chickens accurately describe the colours and patterns[1] of the feathers of chicken breeds and varieties. This is a list of the terms used in this context.
Self[]
Self chickens are one-coloured, i.e. lacking a pattern. Show quality strains may have even pigmentation throughout the outer plumage, production or pet quality strains are likely to not.
| Colour | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 
|
 Green iridescence is desired for "beetle black" show chickens. |
| Blue |
|
|
| Buff | 
|
|
| Lavender | 
|
 Red lavender |
| Red |
|
|
| White |
|
Barred and cuckoo[]
| Colour | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Barred | 
|
Divided into Dark and Light in Australian Plymouth Rocks |
| Crele |
|
The cuckoo pattern with black-breasted red pigmentation. |
| Silver Cuckoo |
|
|
| Golden Cuckoo |
Columbian, belted[]
| Colour | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Columbian |
|
|
| Buff Columbian |
|
Duckwing[]
| Colour | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Duckwing |  |
|
| Blue Golden Duckwing | ||
| Silver Duckwing |  |
|
| Blue Silver Duckwing | ||
| Fawn Silver Duckwing | 
|
Laced[]
| Colour | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black Laced | not used; black-laced plumage is named after the red series colour instead: "golden laced" for black and red, "citron laced" for black and buff, "silver laced" for black and white | |
| Blue Laced |
|
|
| Blue Laced Red | 
|
|
| Buff Laced |
|
Alternatively known as Chamois.[2] |
| Golden Laced |
|
|
| Silver Laced |
|
|
Pencilled[]
| Colour | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Birchen | Sometimes called Grey in Japanese bantams. | |
| Golden Pencilled | ||
| Silver Pencilled |
|
Mottled, spangled, mille fleur[]
| Colour | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Mottled |
|
|
| Citron Spangled |
|
|
| Golden Spangled |
|
|
| Silver Spangled |
|
|
| Mille Fleur | 
|
 Called 'speckled' in the Sussex. |
| Lemon Mille Fleur | ||
| Porcelain | A diluted version of Mille Fleur |
Black-tailed[]
| Colour | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black-tailed Buff |
|
|
| Black-tailed White | 
|
|
| Black-tailed red | 
|
Black-breasted[]
| Colour | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black Breasted Red | 
|
|
| Blue Breasted Red | 
|
|
| Partridge | 
|
|
| Wheaten |
|
|
| Blue Wheaten |
Others[]
| Colour | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brassy Back | ||
| Blue Brassy Back | ||
| Blue Light Brown | ||
| Blue-red | ||
| Brown | ||
| Brown Red | Sometimes called Gold Birchen. | |
| Coloured | ||
| Coronation | ||
| Cream Light Brown | 
|
|
| Dark brown | ||
| Exchequer | Found only in Leghorns with the exception of Serama. [3] | |
| Ginger Red | ||
| Golden Neck | ||
| Golden-necked mille fleur | ||
| Gray | ||
| Lemon Blue | ||
| Light Brown | ||
| Pyle | Alternatively spelt Pile. | |
| Red Pyle |
| |
| Quail | 
|
|
| Salmon | 
|
|
| Silver Blue | 
|
|
| Silver Gray |
|
|
| Splash |
|
|
| Tolbunt | Seen only in Polish chickens | |
| White Laced Red |
References[]
- ^ All About Chickens: All the chicken colours under the sun Archived 2012-06-06 at the Wayback Machine Accessed January 2012.
- ^ Wright, Lewis (2005). The new book of poultry. Ripol Classic Publishing House. p. 447. ISBN 9785878653336. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
- ^ scnaonline.org
See also[]
Categories:
- Chickens
- Bird colours
- Chicken plumage patterns
- Poultry
- Lists of colors