Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[Bryam]

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Some dominant white birds will leak red pigments ranging from bright red to buff. A chicken must have the correct genetics for this leakage to occur. Where ever the bird should be red the bird will show red and where ever the bird should be black the bird will be white. 

if dominant white were carried by a black tailed red bird (New Hampshire), the black would be changed to white and the breeder would have produced a white tailed buff. 

Take for example buff birds ( like buff leghorns). A problem buff birds have is black showing in the tail and wings. To get rid of the black specs etc,. breeders have incorporated dominant white into the variety. This gets rid of the black and allows for the buff to show.  


Sorry too many technical terms. You completely lost me!


When you say colour leakage do you mean like white with leakage of beige throughout the white, while having the black spots of the paint? Or all white with buff spots? Basically I would be producing a calico Silkie?

 

[Adorkable]

Decided to go with this kitchen scale. It was on sale for $20 on Amazon. I think it's a pretty good size to weigh silkies and I'm happy with it, although I wish it were a couple of inches bigger just to make it easier. Sometimes the silkies change the unit of measure from oz to lbs and grams with their feet lol.

@Jeansrie



I just knew that some of my boys were fatties. Re-homing these 2 boys today. At 5 months old the dark blue one is a whopping 57 oz and aside from that I can't overlook his wing problem so I will not be using him for anything. I do like his comb, and he has beautiful black eyes and nice bright turquoise ears. They very sweet and will make great pets!




This is the other I'm re-homing today. He is a Splash Showgirl and at 5 months old weighs 44 oz.



This is my smallest cockerel coming in at 42 oz. Still overweight, but he's all I have to work with in the spring unless I can find a smaller bbs ckrl by then. I do like him, but he has visible wattles and they're a bit redder than I'd like.



You can see his wattles in this picture. Hoping his beard and muffs fill in a bit more and covers them.


This is the heaviest of the pullets coming in at 36 oz. I've always known she was too heavy. She holds her wing's better than this but she's too fat so I won't be breeding her, but I will keep her as a broody. If I ever get a really small cockerel I may try him over her to see what I get. I'm also holding back a big 50 oz Dark Blue cockerel... just cause he's nice and I like him. I have no plans of breeding him though cause he's way too big

I have 1 dark blue silkie pullet that is 28 oz (couldn't get a good picture of her), and I have 2 Splash Showgirl pullets 29 oz and 30 oz.

Does anyone know if I put my smallest cockerel (42oz) over my 28 oz pullet, if there is a chance of improving on the size of the cockerel offspring?

I am looking for a smaller bbs cockerel, but as I mentioned this is what I have to work with at the moment.

 

[Bryam]

Decided to go with this kitchen scale. It was on sale for $20 on Amazon. I think it's a pretty good size to weigh silkies and I'm happy with it, although I wish it were a couple of inches bigger just to make it easier. Sometimes the silkies change the unit of measure from oz to lbs and grams with their feet lol. @Jeansrie I just knew that some of my boys were fatties. Re-homing these 2 boys today. At 5 months old the dark blue one is a whopping 57 oz and aside from that I can't overlook his wing problem so I will not be using him for anything. I do like his comb, and he has beautiful black eyes and nice bright turquoise ears. They very sweet and will make great pets! This is the other I'm re-homing today. He is a Splash Showgirl and at 5 months old weighs 44 oz. This is my smallest cockerel coming in at 42 oz. Still overweight, but he's all I have to work with in the spring unless I can find a smaller bbs ckrl by then. I do like him, but he has visible wattles and they're a bit redder than I'd like. You can see his wattles in this picture. Hoping his beard and muffs fill in a bit more and covers them. This is the heaviest of the pullets coming in at 36 oz. I've always known she was too heavy. She holds her wing's better than this but she's too fat so I won't be breeding her, but I will keep her as a broody. If I ever get a really small cockerel I may try him over her to see what I get. I'm also holding back a big 50 oz Dark Blue cockerel... just cause he's nice and I like him. I have no plans of breeding him though cause he's way too big I have 1 dark blue silkie pullet that is 28 oz (couldn't get a good picture of her), and I have 2 Splash Showgirl pullets 29 oz and 30 oz. [COLOR=FF0000]Does anyone know if I put my smallest cockerel (42oz) over my 28 oz pullet, if there is a chance of improving on the size of the cockerel offspring?[/COLOR] I am looking for a smaller bbs cockerel, but as I mentioned this is what I have to work with at the moment.

Are you trying to produce smaller silkies? Otherwise, I would be both those girls!!!

 

[Wappoke]

Quote:

The bird would be white with red feathers on certain areas of the bird. The red can vary from buff to bright red. The bird could also have black spots. It all depends on the genetics of the parents. If you cross the two birds you mentioned in an earlier post; about half of the offspring would be white. The females ( if they show red) would have some red feathers on their neck with the rest of the bird being white or white with black spots. Some feathers may be peppered with black. The white males will ( if they show red) show red in the hackles and the rest of the male will be white or white with some black feathers.

 

[Bryam]

The bird would be white with red feathers on certain areas of the bird. The red can vary from buff to bright red. The bird could also have black spots. It all depends on the genetics of the parents. If you cross the two birds you mentioned in an earlier post; about half of the offspring would be white. The females ( if they show red) would have some red feathers on their neck with the rest of the bird being white or white with black spots. Some feathers may be peppered with black. The white males will ( if they show red) show red in the hackles and the rest of the male will be white or white with some black feathers.
[/quote]

Hey!
My rooster is not buff but a very light beige! Is it possible that not all the babies will have red leakage? Not possible to get a clean paint?

Thanks!

 

[Adorkable]

Quote: Yes I want produce smaller silkies as my cockerels are above the acceptable size. I have 3 pullets (1 silkie and 2 showgirls) that are proper weight, so I was wanting to know if I put one of my chubby boys on them if I have a chance of getting smaller sized cockerels, but I just read an old post from @Sonoran Silkies saying that at least one of my silkies should be the proper weight. I think I will use what I have and re-home any offspring that are overweight. Sorry I don't understand what you mean by "Otherwise, I would be both those girls!!!".

 

[DesertSilkieHen]

My silkie pullet Hilda is 2.5 months old in this photo and I'd like to show her in the future. I would very much appreciate any feedback on her conformation. Thanks!

 

[Wappoke]

The bird would be white with red feathers on certain areas of the bird. The red can vary from buff to bright red. The bird could also have black spots. It all depends on the genetics of the parents. If you cross the two birds you mentioned in an earlier post; about half of the offspring would be white. The females ( if they show red) would have some red feathers on their neck with the rest of the bird being white or white with black spots. Some feathers may be peppered with black. The white males will ( if they show red) show red in the hackles and the rest of the male will be white or white with some black feathers.

Hey!
My rooster is not buff but a very light beige! Is it possible that not all the babies will have red leakage? Not possible to get a clean paint?

Thanks![/QUOTE]
The reason your rooster is beige is because he does not have the genes to make a dominant white color. Birds that are genetically black and carry dominant white make good paints. The offspring will inherit genes that will cause them to leak reed or make the birds off white. Some of the offspring will be paints and some will show red.

 

[Bryam]

The reason your rooster is beige is because he does not have the genes to make a dominant white color. Birds that are genetically black and carry dominant white make good paints. The offspring will inherit genes that will cause them to leak reed or make the birds off white. Some of the offspring will be paints and some will show red. 

This is my cockerel, I think he is like a Colombian, his mom is dark grey. So I guess he is a wild card!!

 

[Wappoke]

This is my cockerel, I think he is like a Colombian, his mom is dark grey. So I guess he is a wild card!!

Yes he is columbian- you would have to cross him with a paint to get some paints in the offspring. Not all the offspring will be paints.