I had silkies hatch the other day...

[SarahFair]

and I need you to tell me about them, please!

Chick 1

Chick 2

Chick 3

Chick 4

Chick 5

If you could tell me what colors they will be (I have a feeling 1,3,5 will be black

) but the other two Im guessing..buff?

But a fellow BYCer pointed out that the black ones have white toes! Whats up with that?

 

[Pathfinders]

Are these from your eggs? If not, from whom did you get the eggs?

I am seeing what I think is likely going to be Partridge, and perhaps Blue Partridge. White toes is somewhat problematic, if you're interested in showing, but that may (may not) change as they get older.

 

[SarahFair]

No I got them from a lady here on BYC who had a mixed pen. I got 15 eggs 7 hatched 2 died and 1 developed but never hatched the rest were not fertile. The ones that died were black.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

2 & 4 look to be partridge--photos of their backs would help more than photos of their bellies (cute as they are

)

 

[SarahFair]

Chick 2

Chick 4

others

the one on the left is alot lighter than the other 2

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Since they are from a mixed color pen, they will be mixed colored chicks.

 

[SarahFair]

Quote:
So they will not be a black buff or partridge? just...mutt color?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Meaning that you don't know the complete genetics behind each bird (as if we ever did

)

The chicks may be homozygous or heterozygous for each gene related to their variety, and you cannot tell. Which means that they may or may not pass all the required genes to all their offspring.

For what it's worth, several years ago a very well-known poultry geneticist did some test breeding with silkies. He acquired birds from some of the well known breeders (he did not specify which ones), as well as from hatcheries. To his surprise the hatchery silkies proved far more homozygous than those from the breeders!

From the standpoint of exhibition, what you see is what you get. From the standpoint of breeding, you may or may not have surprises in store. Depending on the varieties in the pen (and their genders) you may well have some hom. birds.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

BTW, none are buff.

 

[SarahFair]

Thanks!