Giant Silkie Project.

[MysteryChicken]

Wow! What a cool chicken!!!

I'm planning to breed them for meat. My hen is 2yrs old.

 

[MysteryChicken]

The colors that will be added later on in the bloodline will include: Partridge, Blue Partridge, & Black.

 

[centrarchid]

This is a more doable project. You might be able to start line breeding back immediately rather than breeding the F1's to each other. You will still have to raise a lot more chicks than you will actually use for breeding each generation.

 

[MysteryChicken]

This is a more doable project. You might be able to start line breeding back immediately rather than breeding the F1's to each other. You will still have to raise a lot more chicks than you will actually use for breeding each generation.

One reason I switch to this project instead.

So breed the first generation crosses back to the parents rather then with each other, is that what you mean?

I understand the amount I would have to hatch to choose from. I'm gonna start with a small clutch, & increase as the project continues.

 

[centrarchid]

Yes, back-cross immediately. You can do the crosses between back-crossed lines later. I would create a diagram showing breeding plan. Then create a list of attributes you will select for. Odds are you will have trouble getting individuals carrying all the silkie traits each generation. You may also find having one line is focused on one set of traits and the other line on the other until you get size up with most of the silky traits. At some point you can then cross the two enlarged lines to push for individuals with all desired silkie traits. The larger size is likely to involve a lot more genes than the silkie traits you are most focused on, so focus on size first.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Yes, back-cross immediately. You can do the crosses between back-crossed lines later. I would create a diagram showing breeding plan. Then create a list of attributes you will select for. Odds are you will have trouble getting individuals carrying all the silkie traits each generation. You may also find having one line is focused on one set of traits and the other line on the other until you get size up with most of the silky traits. At some point you can then cross the two enlarged lines to push for individuals with all desired silkie traits. The larger size is likely to involve a lot more genes than the silkie traits you are most focused on, so focus on size first.

Okay, will do.
So draw a diagram of the breeding plan, I did have one, but it disappeared on me, so I'll have to create a new one. I made one in 2018. I'll also included the attributes.

Size focus is a good plan. A couple of my Brahmas are larger then the other's, so they maybe the best ones to use.

 

[centrarchid]

Do you know which silkie traits are dominant / recessive relative to alternative alleles your large fowl carry? That will give you insight into what alleles you will need to be taking care to restore by either crossing lines or doing some targeted inbreeding. The recessive silkie alleles are what will slow process down and require more breeders to test for those carrying those alleles.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Do you know which silkie traits are dominant / recessive relative to alternative alleles your large fowl carry? That will give you insight into what alleles you will need to be taking care to restore by either crossing lines or doing some targeted inbreeding. The recessive silkie alleles are what will slow process down and require more breeders to test for those carrying those alleles.

I know that Polydactily, walnut combs, & feathered feet are dominate. Half of my Silkies are Dominate white while the other half is recessive white.
My dominate whites have color leakage which is a dead give away.

 

[centrarchid]

I know that Polydactily, walnut combs, & feathered feet are dominate. Half of my Silkies are Dominate white while the other half is recessive white.
My dominate whites have color leakage which is a dead give away.

Those traits will be easy to verify they are being carried forward. Owing to number of traits, you will still have trouble ensuring at least a few birds carry most of those traits. The more traits you are carrying torwards the larger size with linebreeding back to your bigger birds, the faster you will have to employ something other than simply line breeding. You are quickly going to get into situation where you will have to hatch a lot of chicks and cull most of those. The effort will take several years / generations.

Jersey Giants might be a quicker way to get size you want. The hybrids should be average between parents that might get desired size lesser than Jersey Giants in one generation.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Those traits will be easy to verify they are being carried forward. Owing to number of traits, you will still have trouble ensuring at least a few birds carry most of those traits. The more traits you are carrying torwards the larger size with linebreeding back to your bigger birds, the faster you will have to employ something other than simply line breeding. You are quickly going to get into situation where you will have to hatch a lot of chicks and cull most of those. The effort will take several years / generations.

Jersey Giants might be a quicker way to get size you want. The hybrids should be average between parents that might get desired size lesser than Jersey Giants in one generation.

Jersey Giant is a good suggestion, but I no longer have any.

I understand this may take years to complete, which fine by me. I love my birds so much, I'm willing to work with them for years.
Culls aren't a big problem for me since it puts food on the table. I cull around 6-7 months of age, sometimes not until a year. I like to monitor growth, behavior, & features that appear as they age, only those I desire will pass on their genes.