Self Blue (Lavender) Silkie Thread

[jen5680]

Quote:
You don't necessarily want to cull four-toed birds. Depends on your goals, the overall quality of the bird, and the availability of better breeding stock. Four-toed birds don't always have four-toed chicks when bred with five-toed mates.

Personally I would never use a 4 toed bird ( or 6 toed, or single comb) for breeding. They may not produce chicks with the same problem, but they will pass on that gene and you will have that popping up from time to time.

No i won't use them. I have to many others to choose from and don't want to have to worry about a little problem like that.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Quote:
Could you explain the silver gene white???
Thanks!!

I wish the he## I could

It will take a genetics person to explain it. I just know that they have a lavenderish tint to them, especially in males.

 

[BetsyOK]

I don't really understand them either, but have a couple of them. I didn't really notice it for sure until I bathed them! When they're wet, they look like a very light gray. Once you notice it, you can also see they are just a shade different from the other whites.

 

[jen5680]

Quote:
Could you explain the silver gene white???
Thanks!!

I wish the he## I could

It will take a genetics person to explain it. I just know that they have a lavenderish tint to them, especially in males.

But you don't get lavander from them right? Just that weird white color????

 

[robin416]

Let's see if I can say this so it makes sense and possibly not have Suze forced to come behind me and fix what I said.

Never mind. What I can say is that a male can have two copies of the silver gene which can make them appear a dove gray.

The boy in this pic is probably a double silver gene. The white behind him is his full sister.

I would describe the color more as a mauve in the right light. Below is a pic of him on the left, his sis and a lavender pullet on the far right. You can see there is quite a color variation.

 

[jen5680]

Quote:
So you have him in with your white girls I take it?? have you ever hatched any eggs from him? Are the babies white or do they look like him if you have? Sorry for so many questions!! LOL!! Thanks!

 

[robin416]

Both of his parents are white. Both are silver gene whites, Suze might have to come behind me to fix this next statement. I understand it but stink at explaining it.

I'll go ahead and see if I can say this so it makes sense. A silver gene male with a silver gene female can produce a double silver gene male. But females can only have one copy of the silver gene so you won't see that gray color in females.

I'm still struggling with the silver/gold thing in whites. I have one girl in my coop that is not the bright white of all the other girls in the coop so I assume she carries the gold gene and not the silver.

 

[Elite Silkies]

My personal opinion on your Silver Gene boy is he is GORGEOUS!!

I can't explain the genetics though,

 

[AHappychick]

wow I inadvertantly mixed my white sg (she has some gray/silver in her tail) with my la roo and got more white sg and silkies with what looks like lavender in the tail. I kept them and was going to breed them all back to each other or to lav to see what would happen.

I did hatch out this weird one I have no idea how as I am pretty sure the white sg did not get into the lav pen (the first time I put her there to break her broody and then hatched those split eggs for myself for fun) anyway here it is:

here are the 3 lavs that hatched out that are going to chickenstock

Now here are the ones I have never hatched before can someone fill me in????
there are 2 different colors (2 of one and 1 that is more reddish) but similar I tried to capture both as individuals and then in the group

then there is this really light one that I dont remember ever seeing

and then some splits (I still dont know who makes these I thought they were from my gray SG but I removed them so I have no idea now what hen or hens make these but Sire is a lavender.

 

[AHappychick]

So with the silver gene whites how did you determine or how can you determine if your white is carrying gold or silver gene? and if sire and hen are silver gene carriers there is the off chance that a silver male is hatched? is that correct?