Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[peepblessed]

All of your guys birds are stunning how much does a Silkie usually go for?

Silkies can sell for $5 to $300.

Hi I have a white silkie hen that just hatched 11 eggs. can any one tell me what color they think they will be. the rooster is a blue splash..

These chicks look like blue partridge.

I have a question as far as breeding certain colors together...I was under the impression after learning all about genetics for breeding that if you bred a lavender split to a black you would get 100% black. Well I bred a lavender split (blue) roo to a black hen and got one partridge chick. The black hen had only given me 1 egg so I didn't get any other chicks from her other than the one partridge. Is partridge just one of those colors that pops up from time to time when breeding the splits?

Many blacks carry partridge genes also common in self-blue (lavender).

This is a new blue we bought my son today. We're still on the fence as to whether its a pullet or cockerel. Any thoughts from you all? We're thinking about letting him show it in a couple of shows next week. What do you all waaaaayyyy more experienced people think? Try not to pay to much attention the those droopy wings. It's hot here today!



This is a splash pullet we picked up for him today. He fell in love with her and named her Winter! He's going to show her as well. Any comments are welcomed and appreciated by us newbies!!

Very nice birds. I'm leaning toward roo on the blue also.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Finally back on BYC! I have been spending a lot of time working with some local breeders and learning a lot. I am finally fine tuning my "eye" and what I want to see in my birds. This is Miss Olive, she is only 4 months. Hoping she will fill in that tail and her Splash markings will deepen. I have been noticing that several of my splash can take several months to develop good markings, is this the case for anyone else?

Beautiful! Splash can change a lot over the course of juvenile to adult plumage, and sometimes even when tey molt and regrow new plumage.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Suze, here is the "gray" that appears to be a blue now. Before and after shots, so to speak. I think "she" (I know, looking cockerel-ish) is going to be really pretty despite being a color "mutt".

I see blue, silver and autosomal red in HIM. Sorry, that patterning is classic male.

 

[Jharper]

What do y'all think of my non bearded rooster? His foot feathering is really excellent on one foot as where the othe he has broken some. He has a good dip with his tail high up and alert.

 

[chisNchickens]

I see blue, silver and autosomal red in HIM. Sorry, that patterning is classic male.

Lol. I know. Just wishful thinking. The red is so vivid and bright, really pretty and contrasty against the blue.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I have a question as far as breeding certain colors together...I was under the impression after learning all about genetics for breeding that if you bred a lavender split to a black you would get 100% black. Well I bred a lavender split (blue) roo to a black hen and got one partridge chick. The black hen had only given me 1 egg so I didn't get any other chicks from her other than the one partridge. Is partridge just one of those colors that pops up from time to time when breeding the splits?

All chickens have many genes. How those genes pair up can sometimes make predictions unpredictable--by throwing out what one expects and substituting things that are unexpected. In the case of partridge, it is recessive, so the necessary genes need to comb from both parents. The longer you exclusively breed a variety to itself, the less likelihood of unexpected oddities...unless you bring in birds that have not been consistently bred to the same variety.

 

[Lynzi777]

All chickens have many genes.  How those genes pair up can sometimes make predictions unpredictable--by throwing out what one expects and substituting things that are unexpected.  In the case of partridge, it is recessive, so the necessary genes need to comb from both parents.  The longer you exclusively breed a variety to itself, the less likelihood of unexpected oddities...unless you bring in birds that have not been consistently bred to the same variety.

I'm starting to realize that now...I guess when I read the genetic pairing and offspring, I assumed that the results were the only color(s) I'd end up with. That sounds silly thinking about it now. So even though I have a lavender hen and roo-I could get an oddball color at some point rather than just lavender offspring depending on what else is in their background?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: It's possible. If they are both homozygous for all or most genes, then oddballs are far less likely. It's when you have birds that are heterozygous that the oddities start creeping out.

 

[Adoravachick]

Beautiful! Splash can change a lot over the course of juvenile to adult plumage, and sometimes even when tey molt and regrow new plumage.

I have another splash that is the same age as the other pullet, they are sisters, and the splash markings are starting to come. She looks self blue at the moment, but you can see the markings in her wings and just starting in her hackle feathers. Its very interesting. I'll have to grab a pic.

 

[Lynzi777]

I have another splash that is the same age as the other pullet, they are sisters, and the splash markings are starting to come.  She looks self blue at the moment, but you can see the markings in her wings and just starting in her hackle feathers.  Its very interesting.  I'll have to grab a pic.

Yes please share a pic!! I have two chicks that look self blue but I don't think that's a possible outcome from a splash hen and lavender split blue roo. So I'm wondering if one of these lighter blues with be a splash?