Silkie rooster for Sapphire gem hens???

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Possibly a stupid question. But would it be very stupid to want to have a small rooster like a Silkie for my (now chicks and growing) sapphire gem hens? Reasons: Breeding smaller sapphire like chickens with the cuteness of Silkies but laying more eggs than silkies. And also because a smaller rooster seems like “friendlier” for the hen.

And if you think it would be a nice cross, then what kind of color rooster would it have to be in order to get mostly blues and buffs or splash and very few blacks? (I rather don’t have blacks because of the heat here) (Sorry for my limited chicken genetic knowledge.I’ll try to work on that)
 
Hi there. :frow

My Silkies laid quite well when they weren't broody... easily 4 eggs per week.

My large fowl hens will NOT have much to do with bantam roosters by choice. Most won't squat. No smaller roosters aren't friendlier... in fact some have short man syndrome and act like Stew Pidasso's. :smack

Each rooster is an individual and will behave as such. Same for the hens. :cool:

Large fowl hens MAY be more tolerant of a bantam rooster if they are raised together than introduced later. My large fowl hens simply deem the bantam roosters as laugh worthy but not good enough to wanna carry their seed forward.

Splash or white... boy might give your lightest color combinations for offspring.

All of my hens including my bantams... would choose the large fowl rooster of his bantam counter part. The large fowl boys seem a little bit more balanced in the brain. The bantams are more demanding take what they want and ride the hen while she tries to buck them off. The large fowl boys seem to gather their manners a bit quicker and take no for an answer when that's what they're told. They work for it, calling the ladies to treats, doing a little wing dance for them... instead of sneaking up and holding on for dear life.

Noting a rooster and a cockerel are two completely different animals!

My favorite to date... French black copper Marans and Lavender Ameraucana. Least favorite... Silkies and Easter Eggers. Everyone will have their own experiences to share and preferences, this is just mine.

Here is a little genetic calculator to play around and see what colors you might get. It doesn't account for leakage of pattern...
color calculator

Good luck on your adventures! :wee
 
Hi there. :frow

My Silkies laid quite well when they weren't broody... easily 4 eggs per week.

My large fowl hens will NOT have much to do with bantam roosters by choice. Most won't squat. No smaller roosters aren't friendlier... in fact some have short man syndrome and act like Stew Pidasso's. :smack

Each rooster is an individual and will behave as such. Same for the hens. :cool:

Large fowl hens MAY be more tolerant of a bantam rooster if they are raised together than introduced later. My large fowl hens simply deem the bantam roosters as laugh worthy but not good enough to wanna carry their seed forward.

Splash or white... boy might give your lightest color combinations for offspring.

All of my hens including my bantams... would choose the large fowl rooster of his bantam counter part. The large fowl boys seem a little bit more balanced in the brain. The bantams are more demanding take what they want and ride the hen while she tries to buck them off. The large fowl boys seem to gather their manners a bit quicker and take no for an answer when that's what they're told. They work for it, calling the ladies to treats, doing a little wing dance for them... instead of sneaking up and holding on for dear life.

Noting a rooster and a cockerel are two completely different animals!

My favorite to date... French black copper Marans and Lavender Ameraucana. Least favorite... Silkies and Easter Eggers. Everyone will have their own experiences to share and preferences, this is just mine.

Here is a little genetic calculator to play around and see what colors you might get. It doesn't account for leakage of pattern...
color calculator

Good luck on your adventures! :wee


Thanks so much for this great answer. I kinda laughed my behind off too. It was so funny. I can almost see the hens go:”Nope, won’t be for today”. Lol

I did try the color calculator but I really need more basic knowledge to understand all the names of colors and patterns better. But I’ll start practicing today.

I used to have a beautiful Black Copper Marans rooster, but man, he must have been the meanest creature in a 50 mile radius. He was downright dangerous. I do have a buff rooster now. Sweet and not aggressive. But something happened to one of his spurs and i’m afraid he hurts the ladies. I’m told not to cut it off.

Chickens certainly are an adventure. I love their antics. Thanks again for the info.
 
Possibly a stupid question. But would it be very stupid to want to have a small rooster like a Silkie for my (now chicks and growing) sapphire gem hens? Reasons: Breeding smaller sapphire like chickens with the cuteness of Silkies but laying more eggs than silkies. And also because a smaller rooster seems like “friendlier” for the hen.

And if you think it would be a nice cross, then what kind of color rooster would it have to be in order to get mostly blues and buffs or splash and very few blacks? (I rather don’t have blacks because of the heat here) (Sorry for my limited chicken genetic knowledge.I’ll try to work on that)

I know this is an older post and you may not see this. But I actually have a Sapphire and Silkie mixed rooster. He was unexpected when hatching eggs lol. The girl I got hatching eggs from had a couple younger Silkie roosters that she hadn’t rehomed yet and one obviously got to her hens before she did lol. He is only 9.5 weeks old but he is extremely friendly. But does look funny because he inherited the Silkie comb. He is gray and has 5 toes and feathered feet. (I can’t get a picture to load, I keep getting an error) 😞
 
I know this is an older post and you may not see this. But I actually have a Sapphire and Silkie mixed rooster. He was unexpected when hatching eggs lol. The girl I got hatching eggs from had a couple younger Silkie roosters that she hadn’t rehomed yet and one obviously got to her hens before she did lol. He is only 9.5 weeks old but he is extremely friendly. But does look funny because he inherited the Silkie comb. He is gray and has 5 toes and feathered feet. (I can’t get a picture to load, I keep getting an error) 😞
Oh. I wish you had a picture for me. In which state are you?
 

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