Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[casportpony]

Silkie experts needed here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/what-color-will-my-silkie-chicks-grow-up-to-be.1386327/

 

[casportpony]

Another thread need help:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/black-silkie-with-white-feet.1386975/

 

[Willawong Hill]

Hi,
Are there any paint silkie breeders on here? I'm interested to know if you think this is accurate:

Can you have black split to paint or will a black to dominant white always give 100% paint? Can you breed two black split to paints together to get paints, or does it need to be black to paint or white to paint? Thanks for your help!

 

[LynnaePB]

Hi,
Are there any paint silkie breeders on here? I'm interested to know if you think this is accurate:
View attachment 2202220
Can you have black split to paint or will a black to dominant white always give 100% paint? Can you breed two black split to paints together to get paints, or does it need to be black to paint or white to paint? Thanks for your help!

I just started breeding paints recently but I'd be happy to explain it as I understand it.

If you consider a white split a bird with 2 copies of dominant white from paint parents, a black split a bird with two copies of black from paint parents, and a paint a bird with one copy of dominant white and one copy of black then this chart is only half accurate.

I don't really use the term split myself since it indicates the bird/other animal is carrying one copy of a recessive gene that needs two copies to show. Paints generally do not behave that way (there have been some anomalies but they seem to be rare).

I'll use the terms on the chart for simplicity sake though.

On the chart Paint x black split and paint x paint is accurate from my understanding.

Black split x white split should only give you paints.

white split x white split should only give white split.

I think the confusion happens because some birds that are genetically paint (one copy of dominant white and one copy of black) are very poorly marked and may appear completely white. They are mistakenly called white splits and if bred to a black then you can get black and paint from that breeding, and when breeding to a white split you could get some paint offspring.

As far as breeding two black splits together and getting paint it most likely won't happen but this is where the anomaly I mentioned comes in. I have heard it can rarely occur. I remember Judy Lee the one who started the US paints mentioning she has had some paints out of her black splits. If I'm remembering right she mentioned something like 95% hatching black but a few hatching as well marked paints. It's just idle speculation but it makes me wonder if occasionally you'll get a bird that is genetically paint that won't express the dominant white for some reason??? Interesting stuff for sure!

 

[Willawong Hill]

I just started breeding paints recently but I'd be happy to explain it as I understand it.

If you consider a white split a bird with 2 copies of dominant white from paint parents, a black split a bird with two copies of black from paint parents, and a paint a bird with one copy of dominant white and one copy of black then this chart is only half accurate.

I don't really use the term split myself since it indicates the bird/other animal is carrying one copy of a recessive gene that needs two copies to show. Paints generally do not behave that way (there have been some anomalies but they seem to be rare).

I'll use the terms on the chart for simplicity sake though.

On the chart Paint x black split and paint x paint is accurate from my understanding.

Black split x white split should only give you paints.

white split x white split should only give white split.

I think the confusion happens because some birds that are genetically paint (one copy of dominant white and one copy of black) are very poorly marked and may appear completely white. They are mistakenly called white splits and if bred to a black then you can get black and paint from that breeding, and when breeding to a white split you could get some paint offspring.

As far as breeding two black splits together and getting paint it most likely won't happen but this is where the anomaly I mentioned comes in. I have heard it can rarely occur. I remember Judy Lee the one who started the US paints mentioning she has had some paints out of her black splits. If I'm remembering right she mentioned something like 95% hatching black but a few hatching as well marked paints. It's just idle speculation but it makes me wonder if occasionally you'll get a bird that is genetically paint that won't express the dominant white for some reason??? Interesting stuff for sure!

Thanks a bunch, that's really interesting. I wonder if there's some as yet unknown genes either amplifying dominant white (giving genetically paint birds that look white) or suppressing dominant white (giving genetically paint birds that look black)?

 

[Willawong Hill]

@LynnaePB hope you don't mind but I've quoted you here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/paint-genetics-with-silkies.1387981/#post-22799868
as i think that helps answer another question.

 

[LynnaePB]

@LynnaePB hope you don't mind but I've quoted you here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/paint-genetics-with-silkies.1387981/#post-22799868
as i think that helps answer another question.

Not at all! Looks like an interesting thread, definitely gives more food for thought. Genetics are fascinating (and confusing when you are new to them)! I've read a lot about paint genetics at this point but don't have a lot of hands on experience yet.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Hi fellow silkie lovers. Posted on a different silkie thread awhile back and did not get a response, so here goes!
This is Pip, we believe he is a roo based on behavior. Not what I am asking though. His egg was mixed in with the other silkie eggs we had shipped from a large breeder. He is the only one who's feathers look like this. He is gorgeous and we love him! I suspect he is a satin and a lavender. The breeder we got the eggs from also breeds satins as well. Any ideas or confirmations?
Thanks!


a

 

[LynnaePB]

Hi fellow silkie lovers. Posted on a different silkie thread awhile back and did not get a response, so here goes!
This is Pip, we believe he is a roo based on behavior. Not what I am asking though. His egg was mixed in with the other silkie eggs we had shipped from a large breeder. He is the only one who's feathers look like this. He is gorgeous and we love him! I suspect he is a satin and a lavender. The breeder we got the eggs from also breeds satins as well. Any ideas or confirmations?
Thanks!


aView attachment 2204635View attachment 2204636

I believe you are correct in thinking he is a satin, the feathers definitely do not look like a regular silkies feathers.

I can't answer as far as whether he is a lavender or not since I don't have any experience with that color. He could possibly be a splash with that darker wing feather coming in though if he doesn't turn out to be a lavender.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Thank you for the feed back! I emailed the breeder as well with the same photo. He just replied. He says he is 5th generation smooth "sizzle" which does not have the sizzle feathers, but is used for breeding sizzles?? Guess he has the gene for the sizzle (silke/frizzle?) feathering, but needs to be bred to the right bird to produce frizzles? Cool, though not sure where I will find the appropriate mate for him. All my other silkies are just plain old silkies!