are there silkie mixes?

[Sandrachx]

silly question? can a silkie rooster service hens other than silkies? do the chicks come out looking like silkie mixes? just wondering, since i have now realized the 4 silkies chicks i got in may have 2 sweet roosters. i have 7 mature hens now - 4 bantam cochins and 3 standard mixes.

 

[jimnjay]

Chickens can successfully breed any other chicken regardless of breed. Bantams roosters can fertlize Standard hens and visa versa, but not a good idea to let a large rooster service your bantam hens.

My avatar is of a Silkie X Frizzled Cochin. I have had my Silkie rooster with my RIR, Wyanadotte and Partridge Rock and all the chicks were interesting. The Crest and feathered leggs are dominant so you can expect to see some sort of crest and some feathering on the feet. Dark skin is possible as well even in the first generation cross.

 

[jessupfamily]

Our Black Silkie roo mixed with Buff Orps., Barred Rocks, Black Australorps, and Light Brahmas. The first generation all had smooth feathers and some sort of crest on the head and feathered feet. Some had the extra Silkie toe on both feet, some had no extra toes at all and some had an extra toe on just one foot. Now our second generation is wide and varied! Some have the above, but I've noticed that the fluffy Silkie feathers are more prevalent this generation! And our Silkie mix hens are the broodiest hens ever!! We've had one sit and hatch twice this year!
Have fun!!
Blessings,
Amy J.

 

[foxcove4]

this hen is half silkie, she's a great mama too

 

[AthamGI]

Wait, what was the parentage for that hen? It looks just like my buff silkie-game bantam cross, only she has head feathers + muffs.

 

[lurky]

the 3 light colored birds in this pic are from a lavender-ish ee bantam hen and a blue splash silkie rooster.

 

[d_rooster]

I just hatched some chicks from a Partridge Silkie hen x Bantam Salmon Faverolles rooster. The resulting chicks all have five toes. However, the beaks on all of this cross are bluish in color. I believe all of them should have regular feathers, not silkie in this first generation (unless the SF roo daddy had a recessive silkie gene hiding in his genes). So far their skin looks light colored, not dark like Silkies. They are all cute as a button. I can't wait to see how they turn out as adults. I have fun imagining a Silkie Roo with colors like a Salmon Faverolles Roo.

I found a very useful web page on Silkie genetics here:

http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article/IdentifyingSilkieCrossChicks.html

Donald in SC