Silkies---how Did This Happen????

[sutillman]

Knowing nothing about genetics I have a question. I have 3 white silkie hens, 1 white silkie roo, and 1 black silkie roo. No partridge except 2 in the brooder from eggs I got from another BYC'er. How did I get a partridge chick? It has to be possible because that's all I have. Would like to know how though.

 

[jenjscott]

You have a dominant white covering some other colors in one of your chickens.

 

[pbjmaker]

Someone explained it like this to me:

White in a silkie is like they are wearing a lab coat. They look white but really there is another color outfit under there.

I get all kinds of crazy color combos from my white showgirl roo.

 

[sutillman]

Well so far out of seven eggs I have 2 whites, 1 blackish gray, 1 partridge, and one that just hatched I think may be another partridge! This is the first time I've ever hatched any of their eggs. So would the underlyeing color be from the roo or the hens, or either? Guess you just get a surprise package when you hatch from whites!

 

[LarryPQ]

Quote:
What a great explination. Alohachickens and I went to lunch on Friday, and she brought a GIANT horse picture book. She explained that horses only come in two colors: red and black. Every other color is a result of genes like the lab coat, or a pair socks, or a little bit of bleach in the wash...

 

[Blue Ribbon Bantams]

THIS EXACT THING HAPPENED TO ME!!!! lol your whites cover up the parridge gene in their blood or something like that someone explained it to me but i forgot how she said it i got alot of partridge from mine tho so the hen was put with partridge roos..... find out which hen is doing that and if you dont want it to happen sell her. if you do want it put a pertridge boy in with her to increase partridge probability i love partridge.... thats all i keep now!! lol

 

[Brindlebtch]

Quote:
That is a great explanation that even I can understand!

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Quote:
Silkies tend to have recessive white most of the time. If the Silkie had dominant white, then the chicks would also be white with maybe a little color leaking through.

 

[storminstaffs]

I got a white chick from a black roo and partridge hen

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Quote:
That means both of your chickens carry recessive white.