Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[LynnaePB]

Gotcha, I can definitely understand the too many! I'm always getting tempted by pretty colors I don't have yet too. I'm sure if I get anywhere with it I'll be posting here. I'll probably show the first little splits to hatch next week too just for fun even though they won't be like dad.

 

[kurby22]

He is super duper gorgeous

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Shadow Captain and Poof Poof the little black silkie have given me all blue and blue splash babies.. not a bit of red leakage on a single one.. I'm hoping for some smooth silkies with the calico pattern.. keeping my fingers crossed.. Here she is and her two sisters out of Turtle Dove that are going in with Shadow and Poof Poof. They are all F1.

RedCloud
View attachment 3250906
Steel Meister
View attachment 3250908


White CloudView attachment 3250909

Gorgeous crosses. I especially love White Cloud’s coloring.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I know a little while ago I hinted at a new color project this fall when I could get eggs from a breeder. I ended up getting something even better! The breeder decided to focus more on her other breeds and offered me the little flock those eggs were going to be coming from!

It's this little guy (named Mr. Pants) who has the color I'm hoping to try to recreate and learn more about.

View attachment 3251266

His background doesn't give many hints into what he is as he was an unexpected color (the original breeder thought he came out of her paints). I believe the white portion of the color is most likely due to mottling or an allelic mutation of mottled but hopefully breeding will help me confirm or deny and find out more. Based on the chicks he has already sired the white portion of his coloring is not due to any dominant genes. I won't learn much more until I've hatched and grown out some daughters that can be bred back to him to try to get certain genes homozygous though. I've seen some other chickens (both silkie and non) with a somewhat similar phenotype but not often. I just love the color and have been fascinated with finding out more about it for a while now. I'm really hoping I can get somewhere with trying for more like him with some time and dedication but even if I can't it's going to be fun experimenting and learning first hand.

I'm guessing breeding out the light skin may prove a challenge (or may not be possible as with some colors where dermal melanin is inhibited) but the single comb will be easy enough to breed out down the line. For now my main focus will be color and type. I've got 5 eggs from him and his girls about a week off from hatching and will be incubating more soon when I collect enough.

WOW! Just WOW!
What an amazing project! So cool you got the birds and not just eggs. Will save you a whole generation timewise to see results. What are you calling this color? It needs a name. What do the rest of the flock look like? I am so excited for you!

 

[Chicks in VA]

who would like me to post some pictures of bantam silkies on friday?

 

[Shabby Chic-Hens]

Your birds are very pretty!

than you! sadly, they died. but at least I have pictures like this to remember them by.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Updated pic of my splash boy, Tie, I kept from purchased shipped eggs, I also have 3 girls from same lot of eggs all doing well (names Socks, Mittens, Buttons) I ended up culling the other boy (Zippy) as he was way too skitty and didn't want to take a chance being around my kids.
Also pic of Popcorn. Second in charge to Biscuit. Tie is number 3 in line.
I should get some better genetics now with 2 different boys in the mix.
2 of mine aren't laying I don't know why, possibly genetic problems

 

[Hinotori]

Got to love how well partridge blends in with the ground. 7 chicks with the 2 mamas. The silkie feathered one is an old lady and knows exactly what she's doing. Normal feathered one is molting. That's why she has some darker new feathers.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

WOW! Just WOW!
What an amazing project! So cool you got the birds and not just eggs. Will save you a whole generation timewise to see results. What are you calling this color? It needs a name. What do the rest of the flock look like? I am so excited for you!

I was thinking calico....is there a Silkie calico yet?!

who would like me to post some pictures of bantam silkies on friday?

Absolutely!!!

than you! sadly, they died. but at least I have pictures like this to remember them by.

I'm so very sorry! Thats heartbreaking!

 

[CSolis]

I was thinking calico....is there a Silkie calico yet?!

Indeed there is.. Shadow Captain is a calico silkie. This close up of his head shows the white, blue and red coloring to his feathers. He's a Calico Splash.

"Daddy, can I have a cookie, please?"