Silkie colors - Buff Silkie with black spots in feathering

[Pandang81]

Is it normal for a Buff Silkie chicks to have black leaking into feathers?

 

[LynnaePB]

I don't breed buff so am not as familiar with it but as you haven't had any answers yet I'll give it a go.

The simple answer is yes it is normal in buff silkies.

From what I've seen of the buff I have hatched it does seem fairly normal for them to have some darker feathers coming in like that. Buff in silkies are often eb based (asiatic partridge) with the addition of Columbian (or a Columbian like restrictor). Columbian restricts eumelanin (dark pigment) to certain areas like wingtips and hackles. So it is fairly normal for buff silkies to have certain areas that are dark. I've heard buff breeders referring to these dark areas as "smut". Buff breeders try to select birds with the least amount of this "smut" as possible. I've heard having eWh (wheaten) based buffs can often help with smut however it brings in its own set of problems (lighter skin is a big one).

I've noticed in the few buffs I have seen grow out that they usually have a lot more "smut" you can see when very little (like your baby). As they molt and get new feathers in they usually clear up quite a bit.

 

[Pandang81]

I don't breed buff so am not as familiar with it but as you haven't had any answers yet I'll give it a go.

The simple answer is yes it is normal in buff silkies.

From what I've seen of the buff I have hatched it does seem fairly normal for them to have some darker feathers coming in like that. Buff in silkies are often eb based (asiatic partridge) with the addition of Columbian (or a Columbian like restrictor). Columbian restricts eumelanin (dark pigment) to certain areas like wingtips and hackles. So it is fairly normal for buff silkies to have certain areas that are dark. I've heard buff breeders referring to these dark areas as "smut". Buff breeders try to select birds with the least amount of this "smut" as possible. I've heard having eWh (wheaten) based buffs can often help with smut however it brings in its own set of problems (lighter skin is a big one).

I've noticed in the few buffs I have seen grow out that they usually have a lot more "smut" you can see when very little (like your baby). As they molt and get new feathers in they usually clear up quite a bit.

Good to know. Thanks!