Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[Arcnova]

Welcome to the world of exhibition silkies!  Fertility is usually a crapshoot.  We've bred them to be so fluffy and overly typey that can't get the job done very well on their own.  Often times we have to help by trimming feathers and artificially inseminating.  Even after we do get some fertile eggs, often lose quite a few because of those huge vaulted heads and them not being able to properly pip to get out of the shell.  Not to mention the birds themselves aren't big layers to begin with....

Oy! I think I'll pass in that case. Thanks for the info though!

 

[fancychick1]

My silkie rooster is big papa taking care of his one look alike chick that hatched and his adopted three. Moma hen has kind of left them and went back to laying eggs. I thought silkie hens were good mothers but in this case it's the rooster that is.

 

[ftpagain]

i feel like somebody told me already what type he is but i just can't remember.

can anyone tell me plz?

 

[andreacroyle]

Does anyone know if I would get any other colors besides black and white with a black hen and a white roo?

 

[sljack2006]

I beleive it is a silver partridge, pretty!

 

[Debs55]

Does anyone know if I would get any other colors besides black and white with a black hen and a white roo?

You will never be able to guess the colors because white hide colors and black doesn't breed true so you could get anything. It just depends on what they are hiding

 

[Tammylr]

You will never be able to guess the colors because white hide colors and black doesn't breed true so you could get anything. It just depends on what they are hiding

I agree that you won't know what you will get with one bird being white as it covers up the underlying color but black breeds true, maybe thinking of blue there. Black definitely breeds true.

 

[Debs55]

I agree that you won't know what you will get with one bird being white as it covers up the underlying color but black breeds true, maybe thinking of blue there. Black definitely breeds true.

I was referring to the fact that black can cover things as well and can pass along leakage if you are unsure of its background

 

[Tammylr]

I was referring to the fact that black can cover things as well and can pass along leakage if you are unsure of its background

K, you're right. That silver or gold leakage can be a booger. Recessives popping up are irritating sometimes if you aren't wanting them. I'm having to rebuild at this point. Had a very persistent feral dog that took out half my chickens and all but one silkie. I have one splash left.

 

[Kayana]

Ah yes, the silkie thread, my home away from home. I just got me some Silkies, 1 adult Hen (white) and 3 babies (buff, black, grey (dark)) I am not sure on the sexes yet, and I have yet to get some pics up. My adult hen has a mohock kinda deal and the others are yet to grow to see what kind of hair they'll have. My hen though, she has a green earlobe, and no hair on her feet (I think the people who had he was breeding for meat, so they plucked the feet hair for conventional purposes. Because she is start to get some feathers on her legs now. (I know that is so mean to pluck silkie feathers they are just so beautiful). She seems to be plucking herself anyone know why? I had to separate her from the bantams because she was being mean to them. Maybe shes lonely? I have her right next to they're cage but I guess that might not be enough? I had to to separate her from the chicks too because she was plucking them at first get out. So, idk what to really do about her. Please let me know . Shes a beautiful bird and very friendly toward me and I don't wanna get rid of her or ne thing.