Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[Hinotori]

So what color would you actually classify her as? She has to have Buff from the momma, plus some melanizing gene from the splash roo. His father is the calico splash. I was hoping to get a line of calico splashes going since they seem to be popular.

I'm not sure. Lots going on genetically.

 

[CSolis]

I'm not sure. Lots going on genetically.

A thought did come to mind when you mentioned breeding that same pair again in hopes of a roo... I could put her 'aunt' in with the partridge roo that was responsible for her mom. Then if I got a roosky, I'd have 1/2 (uncle) x 3/4. Here's mom who's a daughter of the partridge roo and a BBO.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

This one really has got me guessing! ..updated pics... That tail hardly any wattles and smallish comb still.. feet aren't thick.. but crest .. what do you guys think?

 

[Mmr1984]

First and foremost - ABSOLUTELY NO HATING ON SILKIES ALLOWED!!! If you aren’t here to support our fuzzy friends, don’t respond.

Silkies get a bad rap for the following:
"Looks like a dust mop"
"Too hard to maintain"
"Poor immune system"
"Dumber than rocks"
"0 predator awareness"
And oh, so much more.

Well my friends - I thought so too, until I actually got silkies for myself. These are some of the most wonderful birds out there.

I’ve found them to be highly heat tolerant, wonderful mothers, having the strongest immune systems in my Bantam flock, GREAT LAYERS (that’s right folks), adorable as all get out, and more.

I currently have 9 silkies - and my rooster has been nothing but a gentleman to his ladies. They free range daily and I’ve not had a silkie get killed by a predator yet. My hens average 5 eggs a week - not too bad for a silkie, eh?


Most of the time, these silkie haters haven’t even owned the breed, but rather pretend they know everything.


So... let the fun begin! Support our silkies!

Pictures always welcome.

Be mindful, and respect others...

Off-topic discussions are allowed, though try to maintain the subject of silkies.

-Kayla-

Quick inquiry, are we thinking sooty buff or partridge ? I’m unsure of how you get partridge but buff was a possibility from this hatch. I do not have any partridge in my flock. I’m guessing the gene doesn’t spontaneously emerge soooo it has to be a buff right ?

 

[Hinotori]

Quick inquiry, are we thinking sooty buff or partridge ? I’m unsure of how you get partridge but buff was a possibility from this hatch. I do not have any partridge in my flock. I’m guessing the gene doesn’t spontaneously emerge soooo it has to be a buff right ?

Wild type partridge is the default color for chickens. Most hatchery easter eggers have this coloring. The nice lacing on show birds is selective breeding. So it's very possible for it to randomly show up in mixed color breedings.

Partridge is usually the default color under white show silkies. They are silver based recessive white so I guess they'd actually be grey underneath.

 

[NewfoundMamaBird]

Hi all! I know next to nothing about silkies other than the fact that I am in love with the ten I hatched last weekend for a friend who has a farm. I will be bringing them to her next week. They are from 5 to 6 days old right now. She asked me what color they would be!! Lol. All I have is that stripes means partridge so far. Would someone like to weigh in on color if it's even possible at this age? Many thanks!

 

[Mmr1984]

Wild type partridge is the default color for chickens. Most hatchery easter eggers have this coloring. The nice lacing on show birds is selective breeding. So it's very possible for it to randomly show up in mixed color breedings.

Partridge is usually the default color under white show silkies. They are silver based recessive white so I guess they'd actually be grey underneath.

Thank you ! That was incredibly informative and easy to follow. I’ve recently taken a dive into genetics and it’s dizzying for a beginner.

 

[Hinotori]

Hi all! I know next to nothing about silkies other than the fact that I am in love with the ten I hatched last weekend for a friend who has a farm. I will be bringing them to her next week. They are from 5 to 6 days old right now. She asked me what color they would be!! Lol. All I have is that stripes means partridge so far. Would someone like to weigh in on color if it's even possible at this age? Many thanks!View attachment 3493216View attachment 3493217

Now chick color doesn't always tell actual feather color. Ive had normal partridge, from partridge breeeding, feather in black. Partridge crossed to BBS look like normal partridge chicks much of the time then feather in leaky black or blue. Had an easter egger chick that looked partridge mix feather in white with colored tips.

Mixing colors can give unpredictable results. Need to use line breeding and inbreeding to try and set a color pattern if you like it.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Hi all! I know next to nothing about silkies other than the fact that I am in love with the ten I hatched last weekend for a friend who has a farm. I will be bringing them to her next week. They are from 5 to 6 days old right now. She asked me what color they would be!! Lol. All I have is that stripes means partridge so far. Would someone like to weigh in on color if it's even possible at this age? Many thanks!View attachment 3493216View attachment 3493217

Idk but these are some colors u would LUV to have seen in any of my hatches!!!
I tend to get stuck with mostly dark blue or black chicks whenever I hatch even from shipped eggs from 7 different places it seems.
#7 and 10 are gorgeous colors!
Do you know the parents of these babies?

 

[NewfoundMamaBird]

Idk but these are some colors u would LUV to have seen in any of my hatches!!!
I tend to get stuck with mostly dark blue or black chicks whenever I hatch even from shipped eggs from 7 different places it seems.
#7 and 10 are gorgeous colors!
Do you know the parents of these babies?

I haven't personally seen the parents, but the person I got the eggs from keeps her silkies separate from her other breeds. She collected from a mixed color pen so I would get some variety of colors. She has white, black blue, partridge, grey silver, paint in that particular pen. When I showed her the babies she was amazed because even she has not hatched some of colors/patterns that I got. Sadly, I don't even get to keep these babies as I live in the city and can't keep poultry. This was practice for my own silkies when I move to the country in the next year or so I had only ever hatched my own indoor pet button quail before this. But when a friend asked if I might be able to hatch silkie chicks for her mother in law who has a farm, I jumped at the opportunity! After seeing these guys, I'm so in love and want to keep them all. Lol. Little number 4 is my miracle chick because he was born very weak and small. He couldn't lift his head, walk or even eat or drink. His legs were severely splayed, his neck and his feet were badly curled. Everyone told me he wouldn't survive but I refused to hear it. It took two days of me being awake every hour to make him drink electrolytes and nutidrench, vitamin e oil, crushed selenium and vitamin b12 tablets (I am surprised I didn't OD that little fella) for him to get strength to start drinking and eating a little mash on his own. When he got some strength for that I started on mini physio therapy, massaging his neck, legs and feet. I made him a brace to hold his little legs together and held him up to practice walking. And spent hours with him on a heating pad on my lap asleep, while I held his little toes out straight. It worked and he is now happy and healthy and making up for lost running around time. He's a bit smaller than the others but it catching up. My batch of eggs contained two blue eggs and he was one of them. The other was the black and chocolate brown mottled one. Breeder had one hen that was laying those blue tinted eggs and she was anxious to know what color they would be. I'm thinking they must have had different dads. Lol