Silkie thread!

[ChickNmamma]

Over the years I have lost far too many in our pool. While they can float for a period of time, they do not always paddle to the edge, and sometimes they immediately panic and flap so much that they drown almost instantly

I am sorry to hear that, I guess we were just dumb lucky to loose only that one bird. It wasn't Silkies though - and I probably would be VERY careful of Sillies around deep water.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Quote: Not a Silkie, but this is a dark blue Ameraucana.

 

[jajeanpierre]

what color would this bird be?? I have two like this.

I'm far from an expert, but it looks like a black with silver leakage.

 

[PaintedFeathers]

You would have to have Partridge hiding under your boy too - its recessive and will only show up with two copies - one from each parent. Lots of Blacks are hiding Partridge, and some will even LOOK partridge-ish when born - and then turn solid black when full grown. Those birds have Partridge genetics but enough extra melenizers to completely cover it... Your baby may be Black when grown up.

On the Self-Blue (Lavender) thread there were faintly Partridge marked chicks that grew up to be solid Lavender. Those I would guess are based on the Partridge base, but the adult feathers show no signs of it. Just another example of the amazing genetics pool hiding inside our "Black" birds. My Lavender Ameraucanas did not look Partridge at all - they are based on E (Extended Black) and not eb (Asiatic Partridge).

Two copies of Dominant White will not always give a completely White bird - because there are still leakage possibilities (even White Leghorns will have a black feather every once in a while). However, two copies (homozygous) being bred over and over again will eventually wipe out most of the black spots - which is why you need to keep going back to Black to keep Paint. Also, if you have a bird that only has one copy of Dominant White you will get some Black birds from that pairing (50% chance). Since our Black is not based on Extended Black you can have all sorts of oddball colors showing up in Paint Breedings. When breeders get a solid Dominant White based on pure Black and get a pure White homozygous bird - then you might get solid White birds all the time from homozygous breedings. Not from the stewpot of genetics we use for Black Silkies though... probably why it is still a "work in progress"

Okay, so how do you explain the opposite LOL I had a black silkie roo, over a partridge sizzle hen, and I hatched out jet black chicks who have slowly started turning partridge!

At hatch:


NOW:

 

[chickery-do]

I am sorry to hear that, I guess we were just dumb lucky to loose only that one bird. It wasn't Silkies though - and I probably would be VERY careful of Sillies around deep water.

What are Sillies? Did I miss something, if I did I'm sorry, Things are so slow on this thing I may have skipped a page to catch up. If so, sorry.

 

[PaintedFeathers]

What are Sillies? Did I miss something, if I did I'm sorry, Things are so slow on this thing I may have skipped a page to catch up. If so, sorry.

Supposed to be silkies

 

[masked rider]

You would have to have Partridge hiding under your boy too - its recessive and will only show up with two copies - one from each parent. Lots of Blacks are hiding Partridge, and some will even LOOK partridge-ish when born - and then turn solid black when full grown. Those birds have Partridge genetics but enough extra melenizers to completely cover it... Your baby may be Black when grown up.

On the Self-Blue (Lavender) thread there were faintly Partridge marked chicks that grew up to be solid Lavender. Those I would guess are based on the Partridge base, but the adult feathers show no signs of it. Just another example of the amazing genetics pool hiding inside our "Black" birds. My Lavender Ameraucanas did not look Partridge at all - they are based on E (Extended Black) and not eb (Asiatic Partridge).

Two copies of Dominant White will not always give a completely White bird - because there are still leakage possibilities (even White Leghorns will have a black feather every once in a while). However, two copies (homozygous) being bred over and over again will eventually wipe out most of the black spots - which is why you need to keep going back to Black to keep Paint. Also, if you have a bird that only has one copy of Dominant White you will get some Black birds from that pairing (50% chance). Since our Black is not based on Extended Black you can have all sorts of oddball colors showing up in Paint Breedings. When breeders get a solid Dominant White based on pure Black and get a pure White homozygous bird - then you might get solid White birds all the time from homozygous breedings. Not from the stewpot of genetics we use for Black Silkies though... probably why it is still a "work in progress"

Thanks for all the great info... I guess we will have a better idea in the weeks and months to come. I will try to photograph the bird each week and keep posting. That might be cool!!!!

 

[masked rider]

Okay, so how do you explain the opposite LOL I had a black silkie roo, over a partridge sizzle hen, and I hatched out jet black chicks who have slowly started turning partridge!

At hatch:


NOW:

Wow, that is just odd...They look great!!!! So you are saying you only had a single parent with Partridge, interesting..

 

[JesNflock]

Has anyone had any experience with Silkies going broody before they start to lay eggs? I have read that Silkies are often late layers so I was hoping maybe they would possibly go broody on someone else's eggs before they begin to lay...or do they have to go through a hormonal change by having eggs? Any input would be appreciated...

 

[PaintedFeathers]

Wow, that is just odd...They look great!!!! So you are saying you only had a single parent with Partridge, interesting..

Thanks =) These aren't even my best ones! Yes one parent was a pure black silkie and the other was a partridge.

Has anyone had any experience with Silkies going broody before they start to lay eggs? I have read that Silkies are often late layers so I was hoping maybe they would possibly go broody on someone else's eggs before they begin to lay...or do they have to go through a hormonal change by having eggs? Any input would be appreciated...

My hen did for a couple days but got bored of it lol