Silkies: Yay or Nay?

[FluffyButtBabies]

I just hatched some "silkie" chicks from a breeder. Lo and behold, there's some questionable characteristics about these babies. They all have five toes, but bizarre coloration. Three are white with pink skin and no crest (oop) but still 5 toes. Another has black skin and five toes, but a black back and white chest (never seen that). He doesn't have a crest either...the last one is the only one who ACTUALLY looks like a silkie. Five black toes, check! Crest, check! Looks splash or blue, I can't tell yet. Another thing is that they all have pea-combs like silkies. So am I wrong and these are all actually silkies, or are they mutt babies? She also sold us some Mille Fleurs, but that doesn't explain the black one with a white ches t. Cochin mix? Any ideas?

 

[Painted Calls]

Look like mixes.

 

[FluffyButtBabies]

Sighhhhhhh. Ah, well. I wasn't planning to show them anyways. Any clue what kind they might be crossed with? Will they still be fluffy like silkies? Because I heard the fluff is a recessive gene. Still a tad disappointed though.

 

[LynnaePB]

They definitely could be pure. I raise paints and with paint over paint you get some homozygous dominant white which I often find hatch with pink skin. If it's a dominant white from paint breeding the skin will likely darken considerably in the next 6 weeks or so. As for the little black with the yellow belly I get those all the time from my paints too.

 

[lilmillefleur]

Could you post some pics once they are dry? They do sound like some sort of mix though, or perhaps just poor quality.

 

[FluffyButtBabies]

Yea, I'll post some when they fluff up some. As for the paints, I had no clue that could happen! I just thought they looked more like dalmatians, which is why I'm not sure if they are paint or not. I just don't know why they don't have domed heads?

 

[LynnaePB]

Yea, I'll post some when they fluff up some. As for the paints, I had no clue that could happen! I just thought they looked more like dalmatians, which is why I'm not sure if they are paint or not. I just don't know why they don't have domed heads?

Paints breed kind of like blue does, when you put two together you get more colors than just paint.

Paint x paint gives you

25% black
25% white (like the little pink skinned baby you've got)
50% paint (these are the ones that have the spots)

If your little white with the pink skin is a dominant white you can use it over a black to get paints.

As for the domed head (vault) it can be more or less prevalent in chicks depending on the line. In my line my girls usually have it and my boys usually don't. I actually am hoping to breed away from it as their brains are not well protected and they are more vulnerable to injury when they are vaulted.

 

[FluffyButtBabies]

That is actually so informative, thank you so much! I have quite a few more hatching, so I'll post if I get any new anomalies lol.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Agree with everything @LynnaePB has posted. Also want to add that the crests often do not start to come in until 2-3 weeks of age.
Beautiful chicks!

 

[Matilda Belle]

Contrary to what many people say, silkies can have pink skin (paints, milles, cuckoo, crele, etc.). They also can have 4 toes. Pink skin and 4 toes isn't per SOP, but it does happen a lot. Also, not all silkies have nice crests when they hatch. This is another common misconception. Many believe that to have a nice crest as an adult, you need to have a vaulted skull as a chick. Not true. Lots of misconceptions about the breed out there.