Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[ChloeSilkie08]

Splash can have more or less splash colored marking some look almost completely gray and just have a darker head. Sometimes the markings show up a bit later. When they are hatched they often look like a self blue. And self blue and lavender are the same just two different names for the same thing.
if the father was a splash the mom could’ve been the black one or possibly the white one. White covers other genetics. Unlikely it was the buff.

Yes, I just remembered that the buff, Gingersnap, was broody when I collected that egg so it wasn't her. The chick is 10 weeks old next week!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

When you were able to, post some more photos with close-ups. But she looks like a splash to me in the photo that you have.

 

[Pentatonchix]

It's really tough to be able to tell what they might mature into when they are chicks. All should be crested whether they have vaults or not (depending on how they are bred the crests may be smaller or larger). In the past I heard a lot of people saying the vaulted chicks would have bigger crests. With good breeding the non vaulted can have crests just as large though. I actually prefer the non vaulted as the vaulted ones have much less skull protecting their brains and can be more injury prone. I have found in my own stock the females are more likely to be vaulted than the males.

Seeing how the parents crests are can give you a little insight to how the chicks crests might turn out.

Silkies do come in bearded and non bearded and you can tell pretty well from how they look as chicks if they will have a beard or not. They'll have cute puffy little cheeks if they are going to be bearded. If you don't have any non bearded or partially bearded parents than all the chicks should have beards.

If you cross a bearded with a non bearded the offspring will get partial beards. If you cross partially bearded birds you can get bearded, partially bearded, and non bearded offspring. Non bearded to non bearded should give you all non bearded offspring.

Here is a non bearded chick. Hopefully you can see there isn't much fluff under the chin or on the cheeks.

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Here is a vaulted and bearded chick (this one is especially puffy)

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And here is a non vaulted bearded chick.

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Oh my gosh! Those are absolutely adorable!!!

 

[ChloeSilkie08]

When you were able to, post some more photos with close-ups. But she looks like a splash to me in the photo that you have.

Thanks! I'll try!

 

[Hinotori]

I've found it doesn't matter if they have vaulted skulls. My hen with the biggest crest doesn't have one.

This little girl looks like she will be about average for my flock once she's fully grown. She's 13.5 weeks and isn't finished filling in on feathers.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I've found it doesn't matter if they have vaulted skulls. My hen with the biggest crest doesn't have one.

This little girl looks like she will be about average for my flock once she's fully grown. She's 13.5 weeks and isn't finished filling in on feathers.

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She is beautiful! I love her coloring

 

[HuffleClaw]

I didn’t even realize this thread was still active... I hope you all and your birds are doing well!!

 

[HuffleClaw]

I've found it doesn't matter if they have vaulted skulls. My hen with the biggest crest doesn't have one.

This little girl looks like she will be about average for my flock once she's fully grown. She's 13.5 weeks and isn't finished filling in on feathers.

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She is gorgeous

 

[HuffleClaw]

Especially since I only have a 10 egg incubator and 5 laying hens.

A bigger incubator investment in the works?

 

[Hinotori]

It is a very pretty color. More interesting to know it's partridge with 2 lavender copies.

I'm not sure which bird brought in the lavender. One of the originals carried it but were from 2 different breeders. 6 years of breeding and they finally combined with 2 recessive carriers producing that pretty color. I now have 3 hens in as many years and know of one rooster who carries it.

That is why I was really hoping for a boy. Then I could test breed to find out which hens carry lavender. I still need to test breed 3 roosters to the adult hens.

The grey head will sun bleach to more of a brown over time. Every molt they look really nice, though.