lavender silkies

[klf73]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

I was told that a pure black is the best color base for breeding for lavenders... is that true? I've managed to get that one brass ring with a dark blue hen that was hiding the lavender gene, but I'd like to do more with the blacks.

yes, black is the best. I can't remember where I read it but lav has some relation to the black gene, I just can't remember what it was

I guess I will have to check that out when the kids go to bed.​

 

[blueoval1]

Can you breed lavenders to blues and get a percentage of lavedners.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
Only if the blue is hiding a lavender gene. Otherwise, you can breed the blue to the lavender to get split-blues (blue being the dominant color) then breed the offspring back to the lavender to (theoretically) get 50% lavenders. Then you can breed lavender to lavender to get 100% lavender. So, it takes a year to 18 months to see full lavenders again.

 

[klf73]

lav is a totally different gene, unlike blue, splash etc. none of the offspring would be lavender, but would carry the lav gene.

 

[blueoval1]

ok thanks

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

A bird can be both blue and lavender--the appearance is somewhere in between the look of a blue and that of a lavender.

For the lavender to show or have any affect at all, a bird must have two copies.

I believe the reason for breeding to black is to produce a solid coloured bird. If bred to another colour some of the pattern genes might express and while the bird might be lavender, it would be a mix.

 

[1Chick Magnet]

Quote:
That bird is a pullet, and pretty good for a hatchery bird.

how can you tell this is a pullet? I am going nuts trying to figure out if mine are pullets.

 

[LilPeeps]

Quote:
That bird is a pullet, and pretty good for a hatchery bird.

how can you tell this is a pullet? I am going nuts trying to figure out if mine are pullets.

Rounded crest, lack of pointed hackles, saddles, and sickles, size of comb and wattles. The general body shape suggests female.

Can you post pics of yours?

 

[1Chick Magnet]

Quote:
krista, too bad we live so far apart or I would split an order with you. I know you have other lav birds. do you know if they breed true or is it like blue where you get splash etc?

unlike blue, self-blue (lavender) does breed true. So if you breed lav x lav then you get lav. I can't wait to start my lav projects

. I just can't use what I have on the silkies, would take WAY too much culling to even get close to what I would be happy with. I talked to dh and he said no to the chicks anyway. I have too many projects to work with this year, BUT on the other hand if anyone offers to trade eggs with me......

if I get chicks someday I will have eggs.

 

[1Chick Magnet]

Quote:
how can you tell this is a pullet? I am going nuts trying to figure out if mine are pullets.

Rounded crest, lack of pointed hackles, saddles, and sickles, size of comb and wattles. The general body shape suggests female.

Can you post pics of yours?

I have just figured out how to email pictures but do not know how to post. is posting hard? also can you tell the sex of showgirls? they are 4 1/2 mos. I think they are girls. the combs are flat. I have a 5 1/2 month old silkie who has a huge rounded crest that I am positive is a roo at least he has the comb and hackles of a roo. what is a sickle?