{Silkie Crossbreed Breeding Project Idea}

[Kev]

Quote:
LOL It becomes a necessity to hatch a few more eggs from F2 onwards.. so you will be able to choose n' cull from them. For example F1 x F1 only has a 1/4 chance for ff.. but then they will also variously have crests, leg feathering, etc. so hatching more makes it more likely you will hit on a ff chick with less, possibly even clean legged.. those rare things will be a true blessing for your program.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I didn't even think of "limited visiting times" for the "honeymooners." That would be a way to deal with a Phoenix on a Silkie. I could always tether him in the Silkie pen, so he could occasionally grab her but not constantly.

I am pretty sure they are sex-linked because most sex-links are crossed between two different breeds. I understand what you were saying, about I shouldn't worry about which parent contributes which genes.

I didn't even think about the Sumatra, I will be getting some Sumatra chicks this Saturday, so that may be an actual experiment.

-Kim

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Quote:
Oh, I know I will HAVE to hatch more than I would really want and then cull out a large majority. *shrug* We'll see.

So I imagine I should look for a Silkie roo with the least leg feathering, as well the smallest crest. It shouldn't be too hard to get a hold of, because those qualities would deem it poor for a Silkie breeding program.

Do you think a Silkie cock would have trouble mounting and successfully mating a Silver Phoenix hen? I haven't dealt much with Silkies. I had one pullet last year but my sex-link hens got into her pen somehow and she met her end.

 

[Kev]

Sex linked refers to specific mutant genes that are located on the sex chromosomes, hence the name.

Examples of sex linked genes: barring(as on barred rocks) silver, K(slow feathering).

When one says they are doing a sex linked mating between a RIR rooster and a barred rock hen are not actually meaning the breeds per se.. it is specifically the barred gene in the BR hens. She passes the barring gene to all her sons and none to daughters.. RIR don't have the barring gene therefore the daughters don't get one from him either so they are "non-barred".

A BR rooster and RIR hen doesn't work as a sex linked mating because the BR will be passing the barred genes to both daughters and sons.

In other words a BR rooster would be BB (barring is dominant.. with a dose effect.. boys can be BB or Bb) and a BR hen is B- (in birds, the girls are XY)

 

[Kev]

Oh yeah a silkie rooster certainly will try breeding a phoenix hen.

Phoenix aren't very big chickens so they should be easy for silkie roosters.

Looking for cull silkies is a good idea. If you have to choose between the birds, take the one with the least leg feathering even if it has a big crest. The crest is due to a single gene and the leg up to 3 different ones.. The ones with a thin line of fuzz on the outer leg and none on the toes possibly are the ones already lacking one or two of the leg feathering genes but the expression is so variable it's no guarantee.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Yup, I understand what the sex-links are and why they work for sexing the offspring. I didn't even think about that in reference to this kind of cross.

The hen I have access to is a Silver Phoenix, so I think I may aim for a White Silkie cock for her mate. I think it would be neat to aim for the Phoenix coloration, but I think coloration would be the least of my worries on this project. LOL. I would have to get the recessives and body type figured out, color is *usually* a little easier to deal with.

I may try the Black Sumatra with a Black Silkie and see what I get. The color there would probably be the easiest to control, but the Black coloration may take away from the whole project of breeding for the Silkie feathering. I think with the Black Silkies it is harder to appreciate their unique feathering because of how easily the color blends.

-Kim

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Something just occurred to me. Would the Silkie feathering cause the project's feathers to lack overall stability? I know that they wouldn't have the hooks, but how about the main staff in the feathers? If I bred the Silkie to a Sumatra would the tail have that lovely Sumatra arch in the tail?

Like I said, I do not have much experience with the Silkies.

 

[silkiechicken]

Interesting ideas. How stiff the tail staff ends up would probably depend on how silkie the genes the bird got were. I have pet quality birds so most their tails do have some barring, but I find their tail feathers often wear out, and on some of my more puffy birds, without the stiff wing feathers... they just end up frayed and broken. I am imagining a fluffy pheonix with a fluffy ragged tail. Might have the arch, but without the barbs, I don't think it will be a very defined arch. Like a fuzzy pipe cleaner. LOL. You'd have to try it to find out.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

ROFL. A fluffy pipe-cleaner isn't very encouraging! I wouldn't expect a very well defined arch, but I don't want a Silkie Phoenix that looks like an overgrown wet duster. Where the feathers just look "flat" and now they drag on the ground some. LOL

I may give it a try. It's so easy to imagine the "perfect outcome" and not remember what goofy outcomes my pop-up. LOL

Wouldn't need a big arch to satisfy me, but I don't want "super-flat" feathers. LOL

-Kim

 

[MrsCountryChick]

Trying new breeds is very interesting. But was just wondering why you guys talk of going to "Cull" the less desirable ones? Why not give them away instead? Seems as a waste to incubate & hatch them just to cull them.