Three Basic Forms of Lacing in the Domestic Pigeon
The term
‚lacing' is used in many pigeon standards. Anyone expecting a lacing
as with laced chickens,
will usually be disappointed. From a genetic point of view, we can
distinguish three basic forms of which only the first
shows a real lacing as shown in the introductory part of the book of
Pigeon Standards description (Fig. 1).
I.
Lacing of Oriental Owls
Oriental Blondinettes show a lacing similar to that of some
colorations of chickens, e.g. silver laced Wyandottes. The genetic
background is the Oriental Frill Stencil factor that probably is
supported by additional traits responsible for the clear white
centre of the feathers that is surrounded by a black border.

Fig. 1: Oriental Frill Stencil black Blondinette and
‚silver laced‘ Wyandottes hen, Source: Genetik der Taubenfärbungen
II.
Lacing on the Basis of specific Checker Traits
The second basic form is related to checker traits, in which the
black spots at the shield feathers are so extensive that only at the
edge of the feather the color hidden under the checks remains
recognizable. Overlapping of the springs creates the impression of a
lacing. For blue-check pigeons, the brighter edge remains behind the
check patches and creates the image of lacing (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2: Checks at blue ground color.
Source: Genetik der Taubenfärbungen
When Toy Stencil comes along, the black checks are turned into
white patches except for a colored border. It creates the impression
of a white spangling. From another perspective, it appears as a
colored border around the white center of the feather (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3: Blue check with a kind of light lacing surrounding the black
checks and blue and black Toy Stencil Lynx Pigeons
Quelle: Pigeon Genetics
In
Modena Bronze, the black of the checks is replaced by bronze, not
white like at Toy Stencil. The original color of the feather, not
hidden by the checks, gives the impression of a blue-black border.
In the case of fashion readers, it is "bronze-shield-laced" or, in
the dilution form, “sulfur-shield-laced” (Fig. 3).

Fig. 4: German Modeneser Gazzi Bronze-Shield-Laced and Sulfur-Shield-Laced.
Source: Genetik der Taubenfärbungen, dort Abb. 294
Another example is Gold Gimpel with a gold-sulfur lacing. As may
be seen at the separated shield feathers at the right in Fig. 5 the
impression oft he lacing my be basically traced back to the checker
trait and the blue-blackish frame.
Fig.
5: Goldgimpel gold-sulfur laced
III. Lacing in Combination with
Spread
The
third basic form is determined by the Spread factor. Ash Red bars
and checks with Spread are from their phenotype Spread Ash in
different shades. Many of them have more or less reddish intersperes,
often concentrated at the border. From some distance you get the
image of a lacing surrounding the feather.
 
Fig.
6: Spread Ash Luzern Shield ‚red-laced‘
Source: Genetik der Taubenfärbungen
The same is true for Spread Reduced after some selection. Those are
standardized as ‚Light Grey-Dark Laced‘. Also the so called lacing
at some Andalusian and some others is nothing more than an optical
illusion and not a real existing colored frame.
Fig. 7: Andalusian Fantail
The different kinds of lacing discussed here are a challenge for
judges not aware of the different genetic background and the kind of
lacing that is possible at all, but also for the fanciers to handle
the different kinds in the breeding pen.
Sources:
Axel Sell, Pigeon Genetics, Applied Genetics in the Domestic Pigeon,
Achim 2012
Axel Sell, Genetik der Taubenfärbungen, Achim 2015
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