Late Hatching Egg Viability and Genetics Question

[Clappmeg]

Hi all!
I've had a Silkie sitting on a small clutch of 3 eggs for 3 weeks now. 2 of the eggs hatched (one last night, one the day before). I' don't think the last egg will hatch. The other day I could not find it in the nest to check and it had been buried underneath some hay and although was under mama it was chilled. The day prior it was moving around when I candled. How long should I wait to see if this egg will hatch? I see no movement at all when candling and I feel like the shadows of the chick have maybe even recessed a bit in the past few days. Will a float test help?

On to the two chicks which have hatched.. the daddy is a black roo and mama is white. One of the chicks is white, which I wasn't surprised by, but the other popped out as a partridge! I know it's tough to tell how this could have happened without knowing about their family trees. Anyone know of any good resources for learning more about Silkie genetics?

Thanks in advance!

 

[BullChick]

I’m not sure about genetics, but give the egg until tomorrow. It actually should be out today if it was only buried a day.
Tomorrow, do the float test, or just slowly pip it, and assist. Eggtopsies are always helpful.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I wouldn't expect the hen to sit for very much longer. She may abandon the last egg by the end of the day. Her job now is to take care of the live chicks.
However, she will take the chicks back into the nest tonight.

 

[msiler]

Hi all!
I've had a Silkie sitting on a small clutch of 3 eggs for 3 weeks now. 2 of the eggs hatched (one last night, one the day before). I' don't think the last egg will hatch. The other day I could not find it in the nest to check and it had been buried underneath some hay and although was under mama it was chilled. The day prior it was moving around when I candled. How long should I wait to see if this egg will hatch? I see no movement at all when candling and I feel like the shadows of the chick have maybe even recessed a bit in the past few days. Will a float test help?

On to the two chicks which have hatched.. the daddy is a black roo and mama is white. One of the chicks is white, which I wasn't surprised by, but the other popped out as a partridge! I know it's tough to tell how this could have happened without knowing about their family trees. Anyone know of any good resources for learning more about Silkie genetics?

Thanks in advance!

I agree with what BullChick said!
In response to the genetics question, based on the fact that you produced a white chick out of the cross I would assume that your black rooster is not truly black. He for sure carries a recessive white gene. And since you also produced a partridge I would say he also has one copy of that gene.
White Silkies are often partridge based underneath.
In short, your black silkie rooster is E/e^b (black with partridge), and has a copy of the white gene
Your white hen is e^b/e^b with two copies of white, so is white.
Your partridge chick has e^b/e^b like it's mother but instead of two white genes has only one white gene.
Your white chick is either E/e^b or e^b/e^b but has two copies of the white gene so it appears white.

 

[Ridgerunner]

@msiler I think there is another way with dominant white to get those chicks. Assume the rooster is split for black and partridge. Now assume the hen is split for black and partridge, and also split for dominant white/not dominant white. Dominant white modifies black feathers so they are white.

One chick gets a partridge from both parents. Since partridge has some black in it, that chick will not get the dominant white. If the partridge chick develops white feathers where it should have black, then it got the dominant white.

The white chick gets black from one or both parents and dominant white from its mother. You get a white chick.

@Clappmeg I do not have a good resource for learning chicken genetics. I'll give you some links but they are not a good genetics book or source. That cross calculator has a learning curve and it can become addictive. Just playing with it you can learn some of the basics.

Cross Calculator
http://kippenjungle.nl/Overzicht.htm#kipcalculator

The other stuff, I don't know if they will help you or not. Good luck!

Genetics explanation
http://sellers.kippenjungle.nl

Genes page
http://sellers.kippenjungle.nl/page3.html

Chicken production Genetics
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/6...e-chickes-and-what-wil-the-hen-pass-to-chicks

Tadkerson’s Sex Link Thread
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=261208

 

[msiler]

@msiler I think there is another way with dominant white to get those chicks. Assume the rooster is split for black and partridge. Now assume the hen is split for black and partridge, and also split for dominant white/not dominant white. Dominant white modifies black feathers so they are white.

One chick gets a partridge from both parents. Since partridge has some black in it, that chick will not get the dominant white. If the partridge chick develops white feathers where it should have black, then it got the dominant white.

The white chick gets black from one or both parents and dominant white from its mother. You get a white chick.

@Clappmeg I do not have a good resource for learning chicken genetics. I'll give you some links but they are not a good genetics book or source. That cross calculator has a learning curve and it can become addictive. Just playing with it you can learn some of the basics.

Cross Calculator
http://kippenjungle.nl/Overzicht.htm#kipcalculator

The other stuff, I don't know if they will help you or not. Good luck!

Genetics explanation
http://sellers.kippenjungle.nl

Genes page
http://sellers.kippenjungle.nl/page3.html

Chicken production Genetics
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/6...e-chickes-and-what-wil-the-hen-pass-to-chicks

Tadkerson’s Sex Link Thread
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=261208

I suppose dominate white is possible if there was a Paint somewhere further back?
But I believe most white Silkies are recessive white only. I could be wrong though!