Why is he so dark?

[Smartin83]

This chick is 9 weeks old. His mother is a white silkie and his father is a porcelain d’uccle. Why is he so dark!?

 

[PirateGirl]

From my understanding white birds can be covering a whole host of different color genetics beneath so you can get some interesting colored offspring.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I would assume that the Silkie hen is recessive white, meaning that she appears white because two recessive white genes combine to effectively cover (like paint) all other color genes. When crossing her to the d'Uccle the offspring didn't inherit two copies of the recessive white gene from his mother and father so the other color genes she carried combined with the rooster's to produce the darker chick you see there. I'm sure @nicalandia, @Cyprus, or @The Moonshiner can explain that more eloquently.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

The silkie had black under recessive white and passed that on to her chick. Because black is such a dominant color, black crosses can be almost entirely black in color.

 

[Smartin83]

Thank you everyone ! I love learning about genetics !