Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[Debbie292d]

Have to share a couple I'd my olden days again.
Debbie, is the main coloring this? View attachment 3917690

Yes, pretty much.

Now it's a week old. Here it is with a picture I just took of him and the two paints I'm keeping of the 35. It lightened up already. I may not keep the one paint that's not vaulted, but it came from SOP parents so maybe it'll be okay to breed. I have a week to decide as then off on a trip with us to Minnesota where some will be sold.

 

[CSolis]

Ok, here's a color question (not breed quality) I know he's a partridge. Dad was black with a gold collar, and mom was a light partridge f1, He's more brown than black with silver throughout. If you had a few spare hens, what color would you breed him too?

 

[Debbie292d]

Ok, here's a color question (not breed quality) I know he's a partridge. Dad was black with a gold collar, and mom was a light partridge f1, He's more brown than black with silver throughout. If you had a few spare hens, what color would you breed him too?View attachment 3918068

From my view, I'd look at him as a blue partridge. The partridge I get are from recessive genes that show up every so often in my older bunch of silkies so no idea how I get them. The one I posted was from purchased eggs.

I think I'd breed him to a black hen just to see what he has in him. She'll keep half black depending on how this goes, and the other half would be what recessive genes he's carrying.

 

[CSolis]

From my view, I'd look at him as a blue partridge. The partridge I get are from recessive genes that show up every so often in my older bunch of silkies so no idea how I get them. The one I posted was from purchased eggs.

I think I'd breed him to a black hen just to see what he has in him. She'll keep half black depending on how this goes, and the other half would be what recessive genes he's carrying.

What really stumped me is the brown coloring. But maybe it shouldn't since his mother was a light partridge.

 

[Hinotori]

Actual blue is silver based. Partridge is gold based. These genes are on the sex chromosomes. Crossing the two can create a sex link.

So you could tell sex just based on color. Partridge rooster to blue hen, the hens will be gold because they only inherit the one Z from their father. They will look blue with brown leakage. Roosters will look mostly blue.

Birds are ZZ male and ZW female. This is also why barred and cuckoo roosters are lighter than hens. Males get a double dose of the gene as it's on the Z.

 

[chickengr]

I counted my silkie chicks: 27 mostly black, 1 ash blue, 3 blue partridge and 1 strange colour, sort of dark chocolate partridge. I'll grow them all to see males/females.

 

[Hinotori]

I can't catch them in the light right now. This boy will hopefully turn out good looking. He's a nice redheaded blue partridge, which I really want a good rooster in.

 

[chickengr]

last year I hatched a gorgeous roo with a pea comb. I sold him and kept his brother who had a nice comb. my old roo was rehomed (at my friend's farm). I hatched a bunch of nice silkie chicks, different colours. almost half of them have pea combs I have 100+ different poultry (now with youngsters 200+) so I don't have the luxury of starting from scratch. I feel bad but I will probably sell all of my silkies to backyard chicken keepers who just want eye candies.

 

[CSolis]

I can't catch them in the light right now. This boy will hopefully turn out good looking. He's a nice redheaded blue partridge, which I really want a good rooster in.

View attachment 3934442

Let me get my camera out.. I've got soooooo many blue based partridge kids, I'm weeding them out.. well, rehoming.

 

[Hinotori]

last year I hatched a gorgeous roo with a pea comb. I sold him and kept his brother who had a nice comb. my old roo was rehomed (at my friend's farm). I hatched a bunch of nice silkie chicks, different colours. almost half of them have pea combs I have 100+ different poultry (now with youngsters 200+) so I don't have the luxury of starting from scratch. I feel bad but I will probably sell all of my silkies to backyard chicken keepers who just want eye candies.

Oh the frustration