Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[Troubadour05]

Oops! The white gene is recessive. If the genotype is CC, the chicken is colored with no white gene. If the genotype is Cc, the chicken is colored but carried the white gene. If its genotype is cc the chicken is white, the cc genotype "turns off" other genes that express color.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I *think* paint is dominant white with pigment holes, which allows the black to come through. But I'm not positive about that, I don't breed paints, so I haven't done much research on them.
But, Shadow looks blue to me in that picture, not splash. I'm pretty sure if you breed him to your paint, you can get blue paints. The white is anybodies guess.
I think they look pretty good. The only major thing I see is that your roosters comb isn't the right color, but that can be worked out easily enough.

 

[ronkonkoma]

I *think* paint is dominant white with pigment holes, which allows the black to come through. But I'm not positive about that, I don't breed paints, so I haven't done much research on them.
But, Shadow looks blue to me in that picture, not splash. I'm pretty sure if you breed him to your paint, you can get blue paints. The white is anybodies guess.
I think they look pretty good. The only major thing I see is that your roosters comb isn't the right color, but that can be worked out easily enough.

I know, I was a bit bummed about that. I don't plan on selling. My family and neighbors would like some. I would like my kids to show them next year. Wondering who would be the best to show. Freckles is tiny but the easiest to handle.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Freckles and Marshmallow are pretty nice looking. The only issue you'll run into showing Freckles is that paints aren't an accepted variety, which means you'll have to show her AOV, so she can't win best of show, ect. Marshmallow could though

 

[ronkonkoma]

Ok. Maybe we'll try them both in different categories. Does size matter? Freckles is really a peanut haha

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Yes, size does matter. Cocks should weigh 36 oz and hens should weigh 32 oz. That's per the SOP. Obviously, not every bird is perfect, and that's considered ideal. You may want to weigh her and see how far off she is...

 

[ChickenPox]

I think your best bet would be marshmellow. They are all pretty!

Chicken genetics confuse the stink out of me. LOL! Just when I think I have a basic understanding, I find out that I"ve been completely wrong. Haha!

So I"m totally counting my chickens before they hatch (ha!) but I ordered some cuckoo silkie eggs this week. The parent birds are GORGEOUS. I'm so excited, and keeping my fingers, toes, eyes, arms, and legs crossed for a decent hatch! (Like I needed ANOTHER color to try and do! LOL!)

 

[faithlyork]

I'm not sure if I am in the right spot, I am new at navigating this site. I am also new at chickens! I have a silkie rooster and a pullet. We just got our first two eggs yesterday. I want to have baby chicks but I'm not sure how to go about getting there. I marked the two eggs and put them in the nesting box this morning. My question is how long can an egg sit out, un-sat on, in the cold, and still turn into a chick when she does sit? (Hope that makes sense)

 

[Troubadour05]

I'm not sure if I am in the right spot, I am new at navigating this site. I am also new at chickens! I have a silkie rooster and a pullet. We just got our first two eggs yesterday. I want to have baby chicks but I'm not sure how to go about getting there. I marked the two eggs and put them in the nesting box this morning. My question is how long can an egg sit out, un-sat on, in the cold, and still turn into a chick when she does sit? (Hope that makes sense)

If your plan is to let the hen hatch the chicks herself, you will have to wait until she goes broody. Luckily, you picked the best breed because silkies are constantly going broody in my experience. Leaving the eggs in the boxes can potentially lead to rotten eggs, or frozen eggs that crack and seep when they thaw. That's never any fun. A good trick with newly-laying pullets is putting some fake eggs in the boxes. I've found some fake wooden eggs in some craft stores that were perfect. A kind of neat trick my mom used to do is when she wanted hens to go broody she would stick some lavender and chamomile sprigs in the boxes to relax them, not sure if it made any difference, but anythings worth a try!

When she is ready she will lay a few eggs and just stay sitting on them. You will know if she's broody if when you go near her or put your hand out to touch her she will really puff up her feathers and "yell" at you. If she is your only hen, you shouldn't need to mark the eggs, once a hen is broody they typically do not lay anymore eggs until after their chicks are grown some or taken away. I have stuck eggs from the past couple of days prior under a hen that has just gone broody.

As for how long eggs can be in the cold, I personally think that is based on luck. I have taken eggs out of the fridge a week after collecting them and stuck them in the incubator and they are now big healthy chickens, but sometimes eggs that I've left in the box overnight in the cold will never develop (which may not have anything at all to do with cold, may just have not been fertilized).

A little side note, your very first couple eggs may not be hatch-able. I've had a lot of pullets lay their first egg that had absolutely no yolk in it, and they were small. Have you noticed your rooster breeding your hen?

 

[1TurkenLover]

Best Guess : \ on sex