Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:

Ask the breeder

2) How can we tell whether a dark bird is a blue rather than black?

Nothing...just realize that a BBS black could be a dark blue.

4) If black birds coming from BBS pens were bred together, would their offspring be considered pure black? Can a pure black line eventually be created out of BBS blacks?

Now you are really getting into the genetics...if there is a brown undercolour, they are probably e^b, not E or E^R. I strongly doubt that a molt will make a difference. That said, I have a chocolate and a mottled where a molt has made a huge difference. In the mottled, her colouring is is MUCH darker than before the molt. In the case of the chocolate, he has ALWAYS been VERY chocolate in colouring. After his molt he looks black...nothing he has EVER looked like before. I am used to colours looking LIGHTER as a bird gets older....not DARKER.

For those of us striving to create pure black pens, do you all have any suggestions?

Anyone have any thoughts to share?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

....It is called Brachydactyly and that term literally means a shortness of the digit. I have a bird with it, BUT she still has a nail. You want them to have the nail, and if the toe is a bit shorter, fine. I think most breeders agree that it's linked with the heavier foot feathering, but I don't think there are any real studies that haven proven that to be correct. It's common in silkies and cochins and I think brahmas. There are a lot of discussions on it.
...

Hutt's Genetics of the Fowl. Yes, brachydactyly is well-researched and known.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

hey yall im gonna get some splash silkies and so do i breed them with blacks or whites or othr splash im confused?

NOT with whites. Breed with other splash, blues or blacks, depending on the outcome you want.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: There is a reason that show rules allow an exhibitor to dispute a placement....in the most recent photo, there is no question that the bird is blue. Judges are SUPPOSED to be available after judging is complete....

FWIW, when a judge makes poor placements, it is usually not just in one breed, but in most of the breeds they judges that day...talk to exhibitors of other breeds he judged.

 

[moomoodiddy]

By breeding with blue, you will get lovely blue and/or splash babies.

that stinks wat will ahppen if i breed with black or white or splash....or paint cauze i dont ahve any blue

 

[moomoodiddy]

NOT with whites.  Breed with other splash, blues or blacks, depending on the outcome you want.

oh ok thanx

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

Thank you for taking the time to answer.

 

[ChicksNherps]

There is a reason that show rules allow an exhibitor to dispute a placement....in the most recent photo, there is no question that the bird is blue. Judges are SUPPOSED to be available after judging is complete....

FWIW, when a judge makes poor placements, it is usually not just in one breed, but in most of the breeds they judges that day...talk to exhibitors of other breeds he judged.

Unfortunately I only saw him judge the silkies and OEGB, the OEGB I have no idea about. A lot of people were making comments though about the health of a lot of the birds there who won. The champion AOV some people were over there saying it looked sick

and the only naked neck in the show looked like it had scaley leg mites. I really wanted to talk to him, or at least another judge, but I could not find any of them after the show. Oh well, maybe next time

 

[ket806]

Oh I would love one of those hahaha!!!! Now breeding/genetics question about them...... Do these appear through the reds? I have heard some whispers about them and thought it was a joke??!!! Edited to say: I have heard people calling salmon pink but I haven't heard of anything as "popping" as this haha. I am still trying to learn how all this genetic stuff works.

 

[ChicksNherps]

Oh I would love one of those!!!!! Now breeding/genetics question about them......
Do these appear through the reds? I have hear some whispers about them and thought it was a joke??!!!

I think this is just a dyed white silkie hen