Breading bearded vs non bearded silkies

[Noraaaaa]

Hi! I was wondering how you breed bearded silkies. I have 2 bearded (one is bearded from a breeder and one is my hatched chick (that one-the judge said BEARDED? at the national poultry show but she went when she was 6 months and the beard has grown since then)) 1 non-bearded hen (confirmed) and one bearded rooster (confirmed). I can't separate my hens for eggs. How do I breed bearded chicks? If I bread a non bearded to a bearded what do I get?

 

[Egg Snatcher]

You will get chicks with big beards (double gened), small beards (single gene) and non bearded (no beard gene). Most will be bearded and a small percent will not be bearded. Edit: Beards are dominate so u only need one copy of the gene for beards to show.
Can u post pics of your hens and rooster?

 

[Noraaaaa]

One of my hens is my profile picture and the other looks like that. I will get my bearded roo and non bearded on her in a minute! Thank you for the information! That was super helpful!

 

[Noraaaaa]

@Egg Snatcher

My non bearded: not sure if it’s a hen (I think so) but I am working on selling it.

My bearded hen:

My bearded hen #2:

My bearded roo: very big beard:will this make my chicks have larger ones?

Will I have good enough beards for showing under the bearded category with these chicks?

 

[Amer]

If I bread a non bearded to a bearded what do I get?

You would get small beards. Beards are incomplete dominant. These wouldn't be showable.

 

[Egg Snatcher]

@Egg Snatcher

My non bearded: not sure if it’s a hen (I think so) but I am working on selling it.

View attachment 4003732


My bearded hen:

View attachment 4003733

My bearded hen #2:

View attachment 4003736


My bearded roo: very big beard:will this make my chicks have larger ones?

View attachment 4003741


Will I have good enough beards for showing under the bearded category with these chicks?

Yes your non bearded one is a girl
You will get a large percentage of beards from your group both will be big and small beards. I don’t show my Silkies so I don’t know on how big the beard must be, and haven’t really been studying the SOP for silkies. You can show non beard silkies, so if some come out non bearded you could still show them.
Here are some links for SOP
https://sanityranch.com/show-qualit...lrjmkK8WifEG60fdvhlbQBgQyntqKNWMESwn443rGrHi1
http://www.openpoultrystandards.com/Silkie
I read your original post wrong . Beard to no beard give single gene(small beards) and no beards.

Beard to beard gives you double genes(big beards) and single gened birds.

 

[No Coop No Problem]

Very cute. These look better than normal silkies

 

[Noraaaaa]

Yes your non bearded one is a girl
You will get a large percentage of beards from your group both will be big and small beards. I don’t show my Silkies so I don’t know on how big the beard must be, and haven’t really been studying the SOP for silkies. You can show non beard silkies, so if some come out non bearded you could still show them.
Here are some links for SOP
https://sanityranch.com/show-qualit...lrjmkK8WifEG60fdvhlbQBgQyntqKNWMESwn443rGrHi1
http://www.openpoultrystandards.com/Silkie
I read your original post wrong . Beard to no beard give single gene(small beards) and no beards.

Beard to beard gives you double genes(big beards) and single gened birds.

Thank you so much for that information! I am going to sell the non bearded. Do the other two hens have good beards? They are only for 4H and the national poultry show (I don't ever plan to win and its more for showmanship for me lol)

 

[Noraaaaa]

Very cute. These look better than normal silkies

Thank you! The one is my own and the other I got at OH nationals!

 

[Amer]

Thank you so much for that information! I am going to sell the non bearded. Do the other two hens have good beards? They are only for 4H and the national poultry show (I don't ever plan to win and its more for showmanship for me lol)

I think the other hens might be heterozygous for beard (or not, but their beards are fairly small. Your male has a good-sized beard, though.)