What does a grey silkie look like?

[HenThymes]

I am a silkie newbie and still learning but this is my little gray (pullet I believe). Without looking back I think she is around 4 months old now. I don't think she is sop material but I do like her the same. She is part of my DD's little hodge podge silkie flock.

 

[chickendales]

Quote:
i do she lovely

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

Wow!!!

Those are lovely thanks Donna for posting the pics..

Amazing I think i may be hooked

 

[Donna McCormick]

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Thank You. I love grays and silvers. Been working with gray for many years. Working on blacks this year for something new to look at. LOL Starting from scratch

 

[Elite Silkies]

The gray's are gorgeous, but have proven hard to get a hold of

So, I am going to work mainly on my blacks and splash this year.

 

[Pyncheon guy]

I have my first pair of greys this year.......but I'm concerned with the male's color......(sorry no photos yet).....I read the standard for color and it says that the exposed secondary wing area is to be grey.....and mine is white, similar to a duckwing pattern...and I see others this way as well.....

I'm confused as what it's supposed to be..... Grey is not a duckwing pattern in Silkies....is it? Isn't it more of a crow-wing pattern 'similar' to say a birchen pattern (not birchen color...I understand that).....so then it would have colored secondaries that are grey and not white....right? Or am I wrong...? I don't want to breed these if the color is all wrong.....the rest of the bird is chinchilla grey.....but with a black tail...... I also see some grey males with a lot of silver in the neck hackles...is this common for the variety? Also I see males with black tails....is this correct for the variety...... So sorry for so many questions.....I've had exhibition poultry for over 40 years and this color variety has been the hardest for me to understand...... and am I correct to concur that the grey is not a Silver Partridge pattern then? I see alot of greys that do look that way......just my observation. If grey and silver partridge are two different varieties...I would love to see a male represented of each..... seeing would probably help me understand a little more. I also have Blacks, Blues, Splash, and Buffs.....Thanks folks....any help will be appreciated, Rusty

 

[Pyncheon guy]

Anyone?

 

[Sissy]

Beautiful.. I have 1white roo, 2 red,.. plus 1white hen,1 red,2 black
1 layed an egg...which I dont know..
and its not be taken care of ???
they dont seem to be to motherly
hoping to get a gray from the black and white.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

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It's not like mixing paint. White is an OFF switch, that prevents pigment; it is not a dilution gene. In silkies, almost all whites are recessve, which means that it takes two copies to have an effect. Underneath the whte, every white silkie can be an entirely different mix of colour and pattern genes--the results from one white X not-white can be entirely different than between a different white and the same not-white.

Birds lay their clutch of eggs before starting to set. Until the clutch is complete, they will not become broody. The size of the clutch is determined by the hen; it could be a single egg, or 2 dozen. Most would start setting somewhere long before they laid 2 dozen, but if other hens are using the same nest... A large breed exhibition hen might be able ot adequately cover 2 dozen eggs, but not a silkie, so you would need to remove some if she goes broody on more than she can adequately cover. Also, hens go broody on their own schedule.

 

[littlecreekfarm]

2 1/2 month old