Nothing to add, just really like the fullness of the feathers on those birds, smoothmule.
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Gary,
There are 2 different genes that make a chocolate phenotype (visually chocolate). If yours is recessive/sex linked chocolate, breeding a chocolate to another chocolate can only produce chocolates, 100% chocolates and not a single "other color" or it's not chocolate.
Here is how recessive chocolate works.....and yes, you can only verify a chocolate by breeding if there is any question.
Chocolate cockerel + Chocolate hen = 100% Chocolate
Chocolate cockerel + non chocolate hen = all Chocolate pullets & all Chocolate Split cockerels (non chocolate but carry the Chocolate gene)
Non Chocolate cockerel + Chocolate hen = all Chocolate Split males & all Non Chocolate pullets
Chocolate Split Cockerel + Chocolate hen = 25% Chocolate hens, 25% Non Chocolate pullets, 25% Chocolate cockerels & 25% Chocolate split cockerels
Chocolate Split Cockerel + Non Chocolate hen = 25% Chocolate pullets, 25% Non Chocolate pullets, 25% Non Chocolate cockerels & 25% Chocolate split cockerels
*****Chocolate Split which only appears in the Cockerels, they can have a non chocolate gene and a chocolate gene. BUT hens are either chocolate or they are not, if not, they do not have the gene.
As far as I know, there is no recessive chocolate in Silkies. What breed will you bring in for the chocolate? There are chocolate looking colors in the Silkies already but I don't know how their genes work to make them look chocolate but they don't breed as chocolate does.This is awesome information, I'm just getting ready to start working on a chocolate silkie project.
Thanks!