White silkie genetics

[Fluffybuttfarmer]

Oh, fun and joy. white genetics. Do you have a Tylenol handy, you may need it.

There are two distinctly separate genes you can use to make a solid white bird. One is dominant white, the other is recessive white. They occupy different gene airs on the DNA. There are exceptions to practically everything to do with chicken genetics so I'll hit the basics. You may notice I did not mention Silver.

Dominant white is a modifier of black. It turns any feather that would normally be black to white. If you have a red bird dominant white will not have an effect. It is a dominant gene so you only need one copy of the Dominant White gene at that gene pair for it to have an effect. So if you have what would normally be a solid black bird and introduce Dominant white, you get a solid white bird.

Recessive White is a recessive gene, both genes at that gene pair need to be Recessive White for it to have an effect. When they do pair up it's effect is really powerful. It will turn any color white.

I don't know how you got an solid white chicken from two Splash chickens. It should not happen. The B/B/S (Blue/Black/Splash) gene is a modifier of black. If both genes at that gene pair are the B/B/S gene you get a splash chicken. If only one is B/B/S you get a blue chicken. If neither are B/B/S it defaults to black. But once again I'm only talking about black feathers, Red or Buff don't work. The offspring of two Splash chickens should be Splash, not solid white.

I don't know if your white rooster is Dominant White or Recessive White. If you cross a Dominant White with a Splash chicken you should get solid white. If your rooster is Dominant White and is solid white he should give black to his offspring anyway, depending on whether he is pure for Dominant White and Black or of he is split for those traits. Pure means both genes at that gene pair are the same, split means they are not.

If your white rooster is based on Recessive White he will give one RW gene to his offspring but unless the hen also gives a RW the chick will not be solid white.

All this is theory. In reality you often get different things to happen. One regular occurrence is leakage. This is where a random feather (or several) of a different color shows up. That may be a random scattered feather or they may be clumped together. I think it is more likely when genetics are split than pure, but it is a real common problem.

There are different ways to make a solid black bird. The Extend Black gene is the one best known but some genes can modify other colors to black. For example, melanizers can turn red feathers to black. So you can take what would normally be red bird genetics and turn the bird black by adding melanizers. Also some of the diluters that turn red feathers buff can have a strong effect on black. There are other modifiers out there too. I don't know what effect any of these modifiers might have on either Dominant white or Recessive White genetics. There is a lot I do not know. The more I learn the more I realize how little I actually know.

I know, clear as mud. If you cross that white rooster with your white silkie you might get a show quality white, you might not. There is only own way to find out.

If I bred a black hen with a white roo and my chicks appear to have all different colors and patches on them any idea what they may look like as adults? I kind of enjoy the fun of what color surprise could be hiding in the white rooster since I wont be showing them, just pets

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, welcome to the forum from Louisiana. Glad you joined.

If I bred a black hen with a white roo and my chicks appear to have all different colors and patches on them any idea what they may look like as adults?

Not really. It sounds like you've already hatched some eggs and have chicks like that. Photos are always fun and might help, but even then it's more of an indication than a guarantee.

The assumption with a black hen is that she is black because of Extended Black. That's usually the case but not always. I've had chicks hatch with red down that grew black feathers because of the melanizers I mentioned. There can always be exceptions.

Assuming the hen is actually black because of the Extended Black gene, you'd think at least half her chicks would be black when they feather out, assuming she is split. Extended Black is very dominant. But that's only if there are not modifiers present that change the colors of black feathers. Like I said, exceptions.

Then there is the problem that just because a chick will eventually feather out solid black and there is nothing exotic going on doesn't mean it will have solid black down. If you follow this link you can scroll down and see photos of Black Australorp chicks. When they feather out they will be solid black but you can see the down has a lot of yellow in it.

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Lorps/BRKLorps.html

If your rooster is white because of Dominant White then you should get a lot of white chicks, depending some on whether or not he is pure for Dominant White and Extended Black. All the stuff I mentioned above come into play so you can get exceptions.

If your rooster is white because of Recessive White anything could be hiding under that. Any colors, any patterns. And since Recessive White is a recessive gene it will have no effect on the chicks unless the hen also has it. Anything is possible.

Typically when you cross a white chicken with a black chicken you either get a lot of white chickens, a lot of black chickens, or some of each. I'd expect you to see a lot of black or white chickens when they feather out but it is very possible you will have some other colors/patterns show up even on the ones that are mostly black or white. Like I said, photos are always fun, even after they feather out.

I kind of enjoy the fun of what color surprise could be hiding in the white rooster since I wont be showing them, just pets

I agree. Not knowing what colors and patterns you get when they hatch is tremendously exciting. With certain crosses of pure color/patterns you know what you should get and if the genetics are correct you will get that but when you start breeding crosses to crosses all of that is out of the window. It sounds like you may have crosses.

 

[Fluffybuttfarmer]

Hi, welcome to the forum from Louisiana. Glad you joined.


Not really. It sounds like you've already hatched some eggs and have chicks like that. Photos are always fun and might help, but even then it's more of an indication than a guarantee.

The assumption with a black hen is that she is black because of Extended Black. That's usually the case but not always. I've had chicks hatch with red down that grew black feathers because of the melanizers I mentioned. There can always be exceptions.

Assuming the hen is actually black because of the Extended Black gene, you'd think at least half her chicks would be black when they feather out, assuming she is split. Extended Black is very dominant. But that's only if there are not modifiers present that change the colors of black feathers. Like I said, exceptions.

Then there is the problem that just because a chick will eventually feather out solid black and there is nothing exotic going on doesn't mean it will have solid black down. If you follow this link you can scroll down and see photos of Black Australorp chicks. When they feather out they will be solid black but you can see the down has a lot of yellow in it.

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Lorps/BRKLorps.html

If your rooster is white because of Dominant White then you should get a lot of white chicks, depending some on whether or not he is pure for Dominant White and Extended Black. All the stuff I mentioned above come into play so you can get exceptions.

If your rooster is white because of Recessive White anything could be hiding under that. Any colors, any patterns. And since Recessive White is a recessive gene it will have no effect on the chicks unless the hen also has it. Anything is possible.

Typically when you cross a white chicken with a black chicken you either get a lot of white chickens, a lot of black chickens, or some of each. I'd expect you to see a lot of black or white chickens when they feather out but it is very possible you will have some other colors/patterns show up even on the ones that are mostly black or white. Like I said, photos are always fun, even after they feather out.


I agree. Not knowing what colors and patterns you get when they hatch is tremendously exciting. With certain crosses of pure color/patterns you know what you should get and if the genetics are correct you will get that but when you start breeding crosses to crosses all of that is out of the window. It sounds like you may have crosses.

 

[Fluffybuttfarmer]

Here is some pictures! Excited to see what they feather out like. Whitw mom is not the actual mother just a broody girl

Hi, welcome to the forum from Louisiana. Glad you joined.


Not really. It sounds like you've already hatched some eggs and have chicks like that. Photos are always fun and might help, but even then it's more of an indication than a guarantee.

The assumption with a black hen is that she is black because of Extended Black. That's usually the case but not always. I've had chicks hatch with red down that grew black feathers because of the melanizers I mentioned. There can always be exceptions.

Assuming the hen is actually black because of the Extended Black gene, you'd think at least half her chicks would be black when they feather out, assuming she is split. Extended Black is very dominant. But that's only if there are not modifiers present that change the colors of black feathers. Like I said, exceptions.

Then there is the problem that just because a chick will eventually feather out solid black and there is nothing exotic going on doesn't mean it will have solid black down. If you follow this link you can scroll down and see photos of Black Australorp chicks. When they feather out they will be solid black but you can see the down has a lot of yellow in it.

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Lorps/BRKLorps.html

If your rooster is white because of Dominant White then you should get a lot of white chicks, depending some on whether or not he is pure for Dominant White and Extended Black. All the stuff I mentioned above come into play so you can get exceptions.

If your rooster is white because of Recessive White anything could be hiding under that. Any colors, any patterns. And since Recessive White is a recessive gene it will have no effect on the chicks unless the hen also has it. Anything is possible.

Typically when you cross a white chicken with a black chicken you either get a lot of white chickens, a lot of black chickens, or some of each. I'd expect you to see a lot of black or white chickens when they feather out but it is very possible you will have some other colors/patterns show up even on the ones that are mostly black or white. Like I said, photos are always fun, even after they feather out.


I agree. Not knowing what colors and patterns you get when they hatch is tremendously exciting. With certain crosses of pure color/patterns you know what you should get and if the genetics are correct you will get that but when you start breeding crosses to crosses all of that is out of the window. It sounds like you may have crosses.

These are some pictures! Excited to see how they feather out. *white hen is not true mom of babies just a broody girl

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't see any white chicks, at least one black chick, and the others should be fun.

 

[Superdupermattyo5]

I

I have a question for you. I got 4 white silkies given to me by my cousin who gave me no information other than she got them at tsc. But anyway, one of them only had 4 toes on both feet. The other 3 have 5. What could be the reason? Isn't the 5 toe gene pretty strong? I dont know a lot about the gene thing. Thanks in advance

Silkies that are bought from TSC are not pure silkies at all! Silkies that are bought from TSC are a mix of Cochins and Silkies. The 5 toe gene is dominte and 4 toes are ressesive, if this is the first generation of these mixes they should all have 5 toes but in the second generation the 4 toes will apear but you will still get some chicks with 5 toes

 

[Chikyboy]

Silkies that are bought from TSC are not pure silkies at all! Silkies that are bought from TSC are a mix of Cochins and Silkies. The 5 toe gene is dominte and 4 toes are ressesive, if this is the first generation of these mixes they should all have 5 toes but in the second generation the 4 toes will apear but you will still get some chicks with 5 toes

Where did you get this info?

 

[Climbingalbatross]

Silkies that are bought from TSC are not pure silkies at all! Silkies that are bought from TSC are a mix of Cochins and Silkies. The 5 toe gene is dominte and 4 toes are ressesive, if this is the first generation of these mixes they should all have 5 toes but in the second generation the 4 toes will apear but you will still get some chicks with 5 toes

First generation silkie cochin mixes should all end up with solid feathers. Second generation mixes will result in 25% silkied. Any with cochin lines introduced would need to be later generation mixes in order to produce consistent silkie lines. BTW cuckoo silkies were created from such a mix. Very challenging to breed out the cochin red from these mixes. The handsome roo on my avatar is a patridge cochin and black frizzled satin mix. I attached photos of his babies with his partridge smooth satin sister.