Silkie color genetics

[pinkykarla]

So, I am new to this breeding thing.
Right now we have a ginger red cockerel (no beard) and a white hen (bearded).
What color variations can I expect?

Is there a SIMPLE chart to show what colors you get with different matches?

IE: Male White + Female Lavender = ????

 

[Adorkable]

So, I am new to this breeding thing.
Right now we have a ginger red cockerel (no beard) and a white hen (bearded).
What color variations can I expect?

Is there a SIMPLE chart to show what colors you get with different matches?

IE: Male White + Female Lavender = ????

Most silkies are recessive white. Any color other than white bred to a recessive white bird will have unpredictable results. I like to think that recessive white is not actually a color, but a cover-up that hides the actual color of the bird. In order for white to be visible in a bird you need 2 copies of the recessive white gene. If you breed your red silkie cockerel to a white silkie hen or pullet some of the babies will carry a recessive white gene. There is no way of telling which carry the gene just by looking at them, but if you breed one of the offspring (cockerels obviously) that carries the recessive white gene back to the white hen then all the babies should be white if I'm not mistaken (someone please correct me if I'm wrong). So if you wanted to you could make more white silkies this way. This is what I would do if I was wanting to make more white silkies and had no other way of getting a white cock to go with my white hen. If you just wanted fun colored silkies then just let them breed and enjoy the cute babies

I hope this wasn't too confusing. I'm not an expert and what I know I have learned from reading lots of helpful posts on this site.

There is a chicken calculator, but it can be a bit confusing for beginners like myself: http://kippenjungle.nl/kruising.html

 

[pinkykarla]

That looks like math!!!! *terrified scream*

 

[Adorkable]

That looks like math!!!! *terrified scream*

I understand lol

your red cockerel or any bird x recessive white (most silkies are recessive white) = unpredictable... depending on what color your white is hiding. Recessive white isn't really a color, but more like a cover-up so you don't really know what the white is hiding until you breed it. The babies could be any color or mix of colors.

 

[pinkykarla]

Its official, my brain has exploded!
So, I have a darker buff/red unbearded male with a silkie comb. I have a white bearded female with a very tiny comb (???)

My guy wants to know what colors/bearding/comb styles can we expect if we breed them?

 

[rach454]

 

[rach454]

hi i was wondering what color chicks i would get from these. The partridge is a roo and the large grey a roo. Greys mother is birchum and the blacks are reccessive. Many thanks if anyone can help

 

[rach454]

My grey pullet:

 

[Castaneda530]

Does anyone know what you will get if you bred a white silkie rooster with a partridge silkie hen? And got any pictures to show what some of the results are?

 

[Bryam]

Does anyone know what you will get if you bred a white silkie rooster with a partridge silkie hen? And got any pictures to show what some of the results are?

You will get dull, poorly coloured birds! Don't do it!