Silkie Breeding Genetics

[Obsessed With Silkies]

Hi everyone! I'm planning on breeding my silkies in late spring early summer, and I was wondering since I'll have all different colors in one coop and I'll be changing out my roosters every now and then, what the genetics are in silkies? Like will the offspring be mainly the color of the roo, a cross of colors, or what will it be? Thanks everyone!

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Hi everyone! I'm planning on breeding my silkies in late spring early summer, and I was wondering since I'll have all different colors in one coop and I'll be changing out my roosters every now and then, what the genetics are in silkies? Like will the offspring be mainly the color of the roo, a cross of colors, or what will it be? Thanks everyone!

@MysteryChicken @nicalandia @NatJ

 

[cherrynberry]

This is just the very basics. If you breed the Silkie with a smooth-feathered bird, the F1 offspring will be smooth feathered. F1 offspring should have feathered feet and five toes, as well as be crested. The color of the offspring depends on the color of the parents, but keep in mind that most white Silkies hide other colors.

 

[NatJ]

Hi everyone! I'm planning on breeding my silkies in late spring early summer, and I was wondering since I'll have all different colors in one coop and I'll be changing out my roosters every now and then, what the genetics are in silkies?

The color genetics for silkies work the same as for any other breed of chicken.
They can be a bit complicated.
If you like to research and figure out complex puzzles, you might try these sites:
http://kippenjungle.nl/sellers/page0.html
http://kippenjungle.nl/sellers/page3.html
http://kippenjungle.nl/chickencalculator.html

Like will the offspring be mainly the color of the roo, a cross of colors, or what will it be?

It depends on what colors you've got.
Chicks may match their father, or their mother, or be a mix, or be some other color that looks nothing like either parent (but still makes sense once you finally figure out the genetics involved.)

When the two parents are the same color, the chicks will usually be that color too (but recessive genes can cause chicks of unexpected colors anyway.)

When the parents are different colors, you have to figure out enough of the genetics of each color to know which is dominant, if you want to accurately predict the colors of the chicks.

If you give a list of colors, or photos of the Silkies in question, some of us can predict at least some of the chick colors.

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

Okay so in my coop that will have all different colored chickens here's what colors I will have.
Roosters:
White( as a chick he was mainly grey then grew out all white)

Black(as a chick he was grey too and came out black)

Grey

Hens:
Buff
Black
Other potential colors that will be in this coop will be: grey, paint naked neck, and maybe blue cream

 

[kurby22]

@LadiesAndJane @LynnaePB are also Silkie geniuses

 

[MysteryChicken]

It's also good to point out, that most silkies are partridge based.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Okay so in my coop that will have all different colored chickens here's what colors I will have.
Roosters:
White( as a chick he was mainly grey then grew out all white)

Black(as a chick he was grey too and came out black)

Grey

Hens:
Buff
Black
Other potential colors that will be in this coop will be: grey, paint naked neck, and maybe blue cream

The white rooster you mentioned chick down, he's recessive white.

If the black had grey down, he probably is actually blue, but a deep blue almost black.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I breed Silkies, & working on making some Giant Silkies.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Down color of Dominant White Silkies. Note the red tone. Recessive White silkies have a Silvery tone.

I don't have a recessive white picture for example though.