Silkies Of A Different Color

[mylittlechicken]

Are they the same age? The blue looks so much larger - very pretty babies!!!

The blue one is older

 

[ChickNmamma]

Well, I had almost forgotten about this thread, but I have a Silkie of a Different Color to share now.

Cross is Partridge Roo over Smutty Buff hen.


Parents with him in the background.


He was one of these three chicks, not sure which one but I suspect the lightest one on the left.


Here he is in his juvie feathers, interesting color patterns here - I was still unsure on sex, suspected boy but was hoping for a girl


And here he is today. Possible color pattern name "Blue Partridge" with a Moorcap.

Here is his full sister

and his full brother

 

[Fur N Feathers]

Oh, I like that rich color on Ricki! And his full sister is smutty buff? Yes, I would say blue partridge with yours too - I can see the blue in his tail feathers. You sure are getting a lot of darned old pretty boys!

Sonoran, would you please re-post that blue partridge of yours? I saw a picture of her (maybe in this thread) a long time ago. I thought she was the bees knees.

Do you have a picture of a lavender partridge and how do you determine the difference between a blue partridge and a lavender partridge visually?

 

[Naamahbengals]

And here he is today. Possible color pattern name "Blue Partridge" with a Moorcap.

Moorcap! Is that what it's called when their heads/neck are dark, not usual to the color? Is there another word for that? I used a White Silkie roo over my EEs, and all of the 5 chicks that I hatched have the dark heads! I wasn't sure what their colors were because of it. None of the moms have the dark head, must have been all the Silkie (couldn't tell cause he was pure white). Both partridge chicks, both blue chicks, and even my white chick has a blue top. Do you know what the gene is called that gives that dark head?


In the photo - blue with super dark blue head (she's more gray than the photo shows, no brown), white with a blue head, and partridge with a black head (and some misc white feathering at the neck).

 

[ChickNmamma]

Oh, I like that rich color on Ricki! And his full sister is smutty buff? Yes, I would say blue partridge with yours too - I can see the blue in his tail feathers. You sure are getting a lot of darned old pretty boys!

Sonoran, would you please re-post that blue partridge of yours? I saw a picture of her (maybe in this thread) a long time ago. I thought she was the bees knees.

Do you have a picture of a lavender partridge and how do you determine the difference between a blue partridge and a lavender partridge visually?

I would love to see that picture too. I think it was on another thread though...
There is a really simple seeming (to me) explanation of the difference between Blue Partridge and Lavender Partridge that I know because of reading genetics (I know - sorry

)...

Blue does not affect the red. The Brown and Gold on Partridge is from the Red. So on a Blue Partridge ONLY the Black is changed to Blue. The Brown/Red/Gold parts all stay the same.

Lavender affects red. It affects the whole bird, so you get something similar to Porcelain - except with patterns instead of smooth, and probably not as dark (unless you can get to that Dark Partridge I want

) Lavender Partridge is another "where I wanna go" project, AFTER I get the correct colored Partridge, then Blue Partridge.

When you see some of the birds coming out of a Porcelain pairing where they lost the double copy of Lavender you can see what the Lavender is diluting. To me they look like Black with really bad red and gold leakage - what is sometimes called Calico (without the mottling necessary to actually BE that color). Some even look like they might have Blue in there, which is why those pairings are unpredictable. I would prefer to start clean - no Blue in the mix. Mixing Splash and Lavender just makes a Mess. The kids would look too similar at hatch and I think the Splash and the Lavender would both gang up on the Black and give you too light of a color.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Quote:
Yes, it was hiding under your White Silkie. It probably came from a Black breeding, or maybe a Blue breeding too - and the gene is called Charcoal (Cha). It is one way to make a nice dark black head and remove leakage from that area. NOT desired on Partridges, but oh well, it does look cool.

The White with the dark head - was her mother pure White? That white looks to be Dominant White, because two copies of recessive White would cover even that black. Your White Silkie boy is two copies of Recessive White, or he couldn't hide the Charcoal.

P.S. - I LOVE your cross bred birds. I have a Blue and a Partridge with smooth feathers like that - not from a Frizzle breeding but just plain old mutt. I think those are the coolest looking birds!

 

[Fur N Feathers]

I would love to see that picture too. I think it was on another thread though...
There is a really simple seeming (to me) explanation of the difference between Blue Partridge and Lavender Partridge that I know because of reading genetics (I know - sorry

)...

Blue does not affect the red. The Brown and Gold on Partridge is from the Red. So on a Blue Partridge ONLY the Black is changed to Blue. The Brown/Red/Gold parts all stay the same.

Lavender affects red. It affects the whole bird, so you get something similar to Porcelain - except with patterns instead of smooth, and probably not as dark (unless you can get to that Dark Partridge I want

) Lavender Partridge is another "where I wanna go" project, AFTER I get the correct colored Partridge, then Blue Partridge.

When you see some of the birds coming out of a Porcelain pairing where they lost the double copy of Lavender you can see what the Lavender is diluting. To me they look like Black with really bad red and gold leakage - what is sometimes called Calico (without the mottling necessary to actually BE that color). Some even look like they might have Blue in there, which is why those pairings are unpredictable. I would prefer to start clean - no Blue in the mix. Mixing Splash and Lavender just makes a Mess. The kids would look too similar at hatch and I think the Splash and the Lavender would both gang up on the Black and give you too light of a color.

Ha! Ha! I was just asking you about this on the other thread!

 

[Fur N Feathers]

Another boy. You know I am beginning to think this "more roosters hatch out in silkies" comment......might be something to it.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Another boy. You know I am beginning to think this "more roosters hatch out in silkies" comment......might be something to it.

I can see the comb starting, and the red chest/wings/back. What I am NOT seeing is the "curved" beak that is supposed to associate with boys. You don't have the curved beak boys either? None of mine had curved beaks.. and I hatched half boys and half girls (I think).

Remember - its the hens who determine what the sex of the chicks are. If you are getting boy heavy hatches figure out who is doing that - and don't use her for chicks... I wonder if it is a genetic disposition? Check her daughters too.... Inquiring minds want to know- and I haven't hatched out ONE girl I want to keep yet. I have one unknown Partridge chick from my pair I sure hope is a girl - but she was an only chick (and HER name is Hope

). 4 more eggs from the same mother under two goofball broodies now - due in about 14 days... I will gladly add Love, Faith, Charity and Praise if I get all girls

 

[Fur N Feathers]

Yes, I did know that. I have a paint hen that has given me 100% girls so far. (knock on wood)

Nope I have never had the beak sexing hold true with my chickens. I was told over and over that she was a he because she had a boy beak.

She passes her boy shaped beaks on to her babies too.





Love, love, love those names!

for you.