Little punkins! They always look so sweet sleeping like that, lol. It's neat learning about these different color genes and how they work! Not that I mind white at all, but I was excited thinking I'd have variety this time, then I saw those white feathers feathers peeking out! Lol, I'll just have to keep my eyes peeled for some more, there's always room for one more chicken! I bet your paints are just beautiful! I can see yours have fluffier heads than these I find at the feed store! It's almost like 2 different breeds when I see the good quality ones compared to the hatchery ones!Aww look at those little cuties!
I have seen white chick down vary quite a bit in color. Your little ones are probably all going to be white. I don't breed recessive white (which is what most white silkies are) so someone else who does breed them may be able to answer better.
I have paint silkies and some of their chicks turn out white (with paint the white is dominant white rather than recessive). These are both white chicks from paint parents. As you can see they definitely have different colored down. In this case the down color is different because the little greyish chick has the silver gene vs the other who probably only has the gold gene. Silver gene whites often have a bit of a brighter/crisper white when grown. Your little greyish chick could possibly be getting that grey color from having the silver gene.
(Sorry for the poor lighting in the picture).
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