I cannot decide between Silkie or polish chicks for next spring!!

[Kuntry Klucker]

Here is a chart from an old post and I'll also include the link to the thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/289033/silkie-colors-and-what-do-you-get-when-you-cross-colors

That is great information, thank you. So I am assuming that if you cross a white with a black that is where you get the splash.
Thank you so much, that chart is very helpful.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

I've had both, and I actually don't know which one I prefer. Silkies are great broodies, not such great egg layers. Polish don't brood and their eggs are bigger. Silkies are cute and fluffy, easy to hold and good with kids. Polish are nutty and weird, hard to catch sometimes, but also good with my kids.

Depends on what you want. Silkies can't fly, so they have problems getting up and down from roosts, but then again, silkies can't fly, so they pretty much stay where you put them.

Hmm I still don't know which one I like better. I gave my silkies to my sister and still have my polish though, so I guess I prefer the polish. I like weird kooky chickens, and polish are definitely weird

Thank you for your input. I was drawn to the Polish for the same reason, that are different. I love their little hair dos. I wanted something that was different and unique.
I have heard so much about silkies and wanted to possibly give them a try too. I have heard that they are the teddy bears of the chicken world. I currently have 10 Buff Orphington
girls that I love, but wanted something different. I have prepared a space separate from the big BO girls and am having a hard time deciding.

After hearing all of the testimonials from other chicken owners, I think I am going to purchase another coop and get both. They are both so adorable. My son would
love the Silkies and I have to have the White Crested Polish.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I actually just learned today that the Mottled Houndan has 5 as well :cd  except theirs look much longer than a silkies 5th toe. 

As for the OP, I have had one of each and to be honest I didn't really pay much attention to the way they acted. I know for sure the silkie would let me hold her with no problem and the polish was definitely nuts lol So from what I can tell is that silkies are much more calmer than the polish. 

Faverolle have 5 toes too.

 

[Lacrystol]

I actually just learned today that the Mottled Houndan has 5 as well

except theirs look much longer than a silkies 5th toe.

As for the OP, I have had one of each and to be honest I didn't really pay much attention to the way they acted. I know for sure the silkie would let me hold her with no problem and the polish was definitely nuts lol So from what I can tell is that silkies are much more calmer than the polish.

REALLY? I did not know that about the Houndan.

 

[Lacrystol]

I've had both, and I actually don't know which one I prefer. Silkies are great broodies, not such great egg layers. Polish don't brood and their eggs are bigger. Silkies are cute and fluffy, easy to hold and good with kids. Polish are nutty and weird, hard to catch sometimes, but also good with my kids.

Depends on what you want. Silkies can't fly, so they have problems getting up and down from roosts, but then again, silkies can't fly, so they pretty much stay where you put them.

Hmm I still don't know which one I like better. I gave my silkies to my sister and still have my polish though, so I guess I prefer the polish. I like weird kooky chickens, and polish are definitely weird

LOL, Your right silkies can't fly but they can climb and walk, mine are trained to walk up and down a four foot ramp that's at a slant.. They can hop..

 

[keesmom]

I think I am going to get some silkies. Would I be able to get mixed colors such as black and white, or do I need to stick with just one color? Was not sure if the difference in
colors would cause any issues or not. I cannot decide between the black and the white, so I thought I would get both. Would they produce a splash coloration in off spring?

No, white crossed with black does not result in splash. In order to get a splash you need birds with the blue gene. If you want splash birds then you will need a pair of blues, or a blue and a splash. A splash bird is one that has 2 copies of the blue gene.

What color you get from a white x black cross will depend on several factors. The first will be where you get your birds. Are they from an individual that kept colors segregated or were they from a mixed color flock? White silkies are most often recessive white. Most likely black crossed with white will result in all black offspring. Black tends to be rather dominant. It will also depend on what the white is hiding - recessive white acts as an off switch for colors and patterns. It could be partridge, buff, blue, black or a mixed color. If the source of your birds keeps birds separated then black is a likely possibility under that white. Though I suppose if the blacks carry recessive white then you could get white offspring. This guy came from a black x black breeding.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Silkies, Houdans, Sultans, Dorkings and Faverolles are all 5-toed breeds. No, white crossed with black does not result in splash. In order to get a splash you need birds with the blue gene. If you want splash birds then you will need a pair of blues, or a blue and a splash. A splash bird is one that has 2 copies of the blue gene. What color you get from a white x black cross will depend on several factors. The first will be where you get your birds. Are they from an individual that kept colors segregated or were they from a mixed color flock? White silkies are most often recessive white. Most likely black crossed with white will result in all black offspring. Black tends to be rather dominant. It will also depend on what the white is hiding - recessive white acts as an off switch for colors and patterns. It could be partridge, buff, blue, black or a mixed color. If the source of your birds keeps birds separated then black is a likely possibility under that white. Though I suppose if the blacks carry recessive white then you could get white offspring. This guy came from a black x black breeding.

What mix is your rooster. He's very sharp looking.

 

[keesmom]

What mix is your rooster. He's very sharp looking.

He's a bantam white Faverolles. I had a pair of bantam black Favs that carried recessive white. Bit of a surprise when the first one hatched. Here that one is in a sea of LF Fav chicks.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Than not a mix at all. Love him, and the sea of chicks, the cheeks are adorable.