How to know if a chicken is pure breed?

[toptom]

Can somebody share any tips on how to know if a chicken is pure breed?


I bought a few white silkies from a seller. They have the normal silkie look - fluffy feathers, black skin, etc. but I notice that the feathers on their feet and legs are not as plenty compared to what I see from the internet and those won't even reach the ground. Are they just young? Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Purebred means that if you breed them, they will breed true. The only way to find that out is to breed them.

I don’t know who that seller was. If it was a breeder that is showing Silkies, there is a good chance they will be purebred and really close to the SOP but even that is not a guarantee they will breed true. If it was someone that doesn’t show them, they might be purebred but not show quality. They might just be a mix.

There are people on here that can help you determine if your Silkies meet the SOP, but even that is not a guarantee that they will breed true. There is only one way to find that out and that is to breed them.

 

[keesmom]

If they are from hatchery stock they won't be as heavily feathered as breeder birds.

 

[Tricoglossus]

Depending on what country you are in, silkie foot and leg feathering will differ. For instance here in Australia no one has the volume of feathers on the feet and legs of their silkies that you see in American silkies.

 

[toptom]

Purebred means that if you breed them, they will breed true. The only way to find that out is to breed them.

I don’t know who that seller was. If it was a breeder that is showing Silkies, there is a good chance they will be purebred and really close to the SOP but even that is not a guarantee they will breed true. If it was someone that doesn’t show them, they might be purebred but not show quality. They might just be a mix.

There are people on here that can help you determine if your Silkies meet the SOP, but even that is not a guarantee that they will breed true. There is only one way to find that out and that is to breed them.

Thanks. If I breed them, I will know that its a true breed if resulting chicks would be all similar?

If they are from hatchery stock they won't be as heavily feathered as breeder birds.

I wonder why!

Depending on what country you are in, silkie foot and leg feathering will differ. For instance here in Australia no one has the volume of feathers on the feet and legs of their silkies that you see in American silkies.

I wonder why too! Climate?

 

[Ridgerunner]

A generally accepted standard (at least by some) is that to be considered purebred they have to breed true for 5 generations. It's not that unusual for breeders to introduce a different breed or color to get specific traits, but then they have to breed out everything else they introduced they don’t want. With recessive genes that can take a while and you still may get a surprise. People think it’s mutations but it’s usually just recessives finally pairing up, sometimes generations later.

 

[mandelyn]

"If they are from hatchery stock they won't be as heavily feathered as breeder birds." The why is due to the attention given to the birds chosen for breeding. You have to be quite selective in the process to produce the desired traits. Hatcheries work off of volume, not quality. A silkie is a silkie, with varying degrees of quality. If you want the show look in the photos online, you must get with a show breeder who enhances/maintains that look. It gets lost in the hatchery environment.

As far as birds in other locations, it's access to the genetics that determine the look. If super fluffy American birds are never exported, and the other country hasn't yet been able to produce them from the stock they currently have... then they will have a different look. There are several breeds that I KNOW I won't get the look I want, since the genetics are "way over there" and not found locally. If I wanted Buckeye chickens, I'm in the perfect place. If I wanted some super nice Wyandottes, Foley is only a couple hours away. If I wanted true blue Americaunas, I'll have to bring them in from out of state... if there are any local, I've not seen them yet for less than $150 a trio. Marans are quite popular here, and easy enough to find out of the desired bloodlines. Even a local English Orpington breeder.

Local Silkies here are typically lean on the fluff. Raggedy looking. A handful of show breeders have the nice fluff, but generally if you see Silkie chicks at a swap, they're going to be minimally fluffy and out of hatchery stock, going for $1 each or so for chicks. Same with a lot of other breeds... we have hatcheries nearby, so hatchery type is more common than anything else.

 

[toptom]

A generally accepted standard (at least by some) is that to be considered purebred they have to breed true for 5 generations. It's not that unusual for breeders to introduce a different breed or color to get specific traits, but then they have to breed out everything else they introduced they don’t want. With recessive genes that can take a while and you still may get a surprise. People think it’s mutations but it’s usually just recessives finally pairing up, sometimes generations later.

Thanks for your valuable inputs!

"If they are from hatchery stock they won't be as heavily feathered as breeder birds." The why is due to the attention given to the birds chosen for breeding. You have to be quite selective in the process to produce the desired traits. Hatcheries work off of volume, not quality. A silkie is a silkie, with varying degrees of quality. If you want the show look in the photos online, you must get with a show breeder who enhances/maintains that look. It gets lost in the hatchery environment.


As far as birds in other locations, it's access to the genetics that determine the look. If super fluffy American birds are never exported, and the other country hasn't yet been able to produce them from the stock they currently have... then they will have a different look. There are several breeds that I KNOW I won't get the look I want, since the genetics are "way over there" and not found locally. If I wanted Buckeye chickens, I'm in the perfect place. If I wanted some super nice Wyandottes, Foley is only a couple hours away. If I wanted true blue Americaunas, I'll have to bring them in from out of state... if there are any local, I've not seen them yet for less than $150 a trio. Marans are quite popular here, and easy enough to find out of the desired bloodlines. Even a local English Orpington breeder.

Local Silkies here are typically lean on the fluff. Raggedy looking. A handful of show breeders have the nice fluff, but generally if you see Silkie chicks at a swap, they're going to be minimally fluffy and out of hatchery stock, going for $1 each or so for chicks. Same with a lot of other breeds... we have hatcheries nearby, so hatchery type is more common than anything else.

Thanks for your valuable inputs too!

I wonder what's with attention and environment specifically?

I got mine from a small from and they are non-bearded. I also bought bearded ones - they are fluffier but still do not have feathers on feet, only on legs and thighs.