Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[Sonoran Silkies]

While we are discussing color, can anyone tell me what is Silver? I have heard of it but not seen anything about it. Not silver partridge just silver. Thanks.

Silver is a dominant gene; its alternative allele is gold. It is sex-linked, meaning that males have two copies and females one.

 

[TNBarnQueen]

Silver is a dominant gene; its alternative allele is gold. It is sex-linked, meaning that males have two copies and females one.

So....breeding silver male to silver female will breed true or will there be some variables? I have started breeding silvers or greys (need to post pics to get opinions) and am still new at some of the genetic stuff. I do know my last silver partridge chick is from my silver male and a black hen. Would that make sense? Thanks

Father


mother

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Sonoran, Here are some better quality picks of the "Blue Grey" bird.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: The question asked was specifically NOT silver partridge, but just "silver." I am not aware of a self-silver bird; it would be white, and other than having silver instead of gold, would have a similar genotype to a self-buff (as compared with buff columbian).

All chickens have the s-gene; which alleles are present determine whether the bird has silver, gold or golden ground. Ground colour does not always show (black, blue, lavender, chocolate, etc.), but it is always genetically present.

Breeding a male with silver ground to a female with silver ground will give pure silver to all offspring. Whether the silver will show or not will depend on other genes. For example, blacks and blues can be leaky in the hackle, allowing ground colour to show. Patterned varieties such as partridge, wildtype, laced show ground colour.

 

[PaintedFeathers]

Okay, anyone remember the 3 hens I posted that I picked up for my friend?... WELL... they have not layed A SINGLE EGG since they moved to her house! That was 3 months ago... Could something be wrong or are they done laying $100 later! I feel so bad, I showed her the ad and went to get them for her!

PS: one white was laying while she was at my house but now nothing...

 

[delisha]

Thanks Everyone,
She's definitely a keeper! She looks floofy after her bath yesterday. I'm sure she's already a mess. LOL

She is beautiful

Okay, anyone remember the 3 hens I posted that I picked up for my friend?... WELL... they have not layed A SINGLE EGG since they moved to her house! That was 3 months ago... Could something be wrong or are they done laying

$100 later! I feel so bad, I showed her the ad and went to get them for her!

PS: one white was laying while she was at my house but now nothing...

I can't answer for these particular birds, however It is in the heat of summer. laying slows and chickens sometimes do not lay when they are moved. Stress is a huge influence on chickens. It is a natural instinct/behavior to stop laying during those times. They might not like there new set up, they might have been exposed to preds, they also might not have enough nutrients or proteins. It is hard to say and all guess work if they are done laying. I sure think they will go back to laying once they are settled and this heat dissipates.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Okay, anyone remember the 3 hens I posted that I picked up for my friend?... WELL... they have not layed A SINGLE EGG since they moved to her house! That was 3 months ago... Could something be wrong or are they done laying

$100 later! I feel so bad, I showed her the ad and went to get them for her!

PS: one white was laying while she was at my house but now nothing..

Don't feel bad (although it is annoying) those Silkies lay on their own timeline. With the Partridge pair I got, she didn't lay while in quarantine (a month), then she laid about 6 eggs, then she went broody. She has not laid since - and she is not raising chicks. However, she is in with a bunch of chicks so that might be the problem. I haven't had an egg from either Silkie pen since.. um.. long time.

Of course this heat/cool/heat doesn't help either.

Moving them around can also stop them laying - sometimes for 3+ weeks. So - from where you got them to your house, then to her house.. how long has that been?

Hopefully they get in the groove again, but Silkies are not known for their egg production... jus sayin....

 

[jsp28504]

Paints have patches of black feathers. Splash have random dark blue feathers, and may be on a white background (not to standard, but it happens). Recessive white can have an occasional black feather or two, and in my experience it is usually on the backs or tails. I've also noticed as the birds get older it happens more frequently.

Sonoran,
Thanks! I know she came from a white roo, and more than likely a white hen. During both baths that I have given her, I have found two black/dark blue feathers, one near her shoulder and one near her hip. As far as the getting older/ more frequent, the older the bird showing that trait, the more common the black feathers? or the older the breeding stock, the more black leakage in chicks? I don't quite understand your wording.

 

[RockerHen]

Okay, anyone remember the 3 hens I posted that I picked up for my friend?... WELL... they have not layed A SINGLE EGG since they moved to her house! That was 3 months ago... Could something be wrong or are they done laying

$100 later! I feel so bad, I showed her the ad and went to get them for her!

PS: one white was laying while she was at my house but now nothing...

I bought a pair of sebrights at a show once, the hen laid one egg about a month after I brought her home then...nothing. I had her for about 11 more months, then a predator got her. NOT A SINGLE OTHER EGG IN ALL THAT TIME. She ate fine, had plenty of room, free ranged just about every other day, but no eggs. I did incubate that one egg, but it quit about 4 days before hatching. Sigh. Sometimes hens can be difficult.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Sounds like recessive white leakage. And the older the individual bird, the more leaky black feathers you are likely to find. At least that has been my experience. Never a lot, just more as the bird gets older. Cloud may have had a half dozen black feathers his last year--I think he was 9 or 10 when he passed. He also didn't molt at all that last year+.