Red Silkie Genetics

[Doug the Chicken Man]

A couple questions about non-bearded Red silkie's.

I currently have one hen and two roo's .
I have noticed that Hen's comb and wattles is the correct color and shape. Skin is black on the feet.
I have noticed that the Roosters have red combs, Wattles are not quites as dark as the hen but still a dark mulberry color and black skin on the feet.

I have noticed that in the chicks I have some that have the smaller comb like the hen and some that are like the Roo's.

Is the red comb hard to get rid of?

What is the best way to breed to get rid of the red comb.

Should I cross to a black Silkie roo to try to correct this issue.

I was also wondering what I would select the in the Calculator to represent the red silkie to try to calculate what would be the best fit to correct the issue.

Is the red comb hard to get rid of?

 

[Doug the Chicken Man]

I guess I have to wait for Sonoran Silkies to chime in for a possible answer.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I'm not Sonoran but can say that a red comb can be difficult to breed out. You would need to breed to hens with the darkest combs/skin then select and keep only the offspring with the darker combs (that meet the standard). Breed them together and see if your offspring are acceptable. Eventually you should be able to hatch a nice cock with a dark comb to continue your line.

 

[Doug the Chicken Man]

Thanks
That is what I suspected and was planning on doing.
Now If I crossed to a black Hen to help improve the comb and crest, how would it affect the color of the red as ther is almost no black in the tail/wings?

 

[Doug the Chicken Man]

No other input on this?

 

[Doug the Chicken Man]

Is there any input on how to input a red silkie in the genetic calculator.


What does a red silkie and a black silkie produce?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Sorry, I just saw this post. The males comb is redder due to his hormones, and/or he may not be pure for the dark skin genes. Yes, red combs can be difficult to remove.

Breeding to black may or may not help. It may add more black to their plumage. Better to find and breed to a dark combed buff cock. I specifically mention male because you can tell that he has sufficiently dark skin and comb. A females is naturally darker due to lack of testosterone.

Buffs and reds are created with either e^b or E^Wh. e^b birds are more likely to have black in the plumage and darker combs. E^Wh birds are more likey to have clearer plumage and lighter combs. Blacks can be either E, E^R or e^b based. If either of the first two, the offspring would be black with gold leakage.

Doug, do you have photos of your birds?

 

[swheat]

Just watching this.. I am curious to see the answers too. Maybe someone will know.

 

[Doug the Chicken Man]

Quote:
I do have a few pictures that I will try to post tommorrow after I dind them and upload them.
May have to take some new ones.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Black on the calculator assumes the black birds are E based. The reality is that any e-allele except wheaten can create a black bird with sufficient melanizers added. Crossing a black bird who is not E will pass some, but possibly not all melanizers. If we had a more complete list of the melanizing genes, it would help; unfortunately, they are not all researched and documented.