Next Step in Project?

[PittyLova]

Ok so I've been working on a small scale project for several generations and am stuck on the next step to take. I have a pullet that is perfect minus size and she has extra toes from adding silkie a couple of generations back. I'm hoping to work on both of these things this next generation. However I'm struggling to figure out what type of rooster to use over her to add the size but try to keep the shape. I ultimately want these birds white with the mulberry skin so if I can avoid adding colors that are going to take forever to get the white back that's a bonus. I understand I may have to perfect color again.

I'm hoping somebody may have some suggestions. I know I can just pick and choose the shape of next generation's offspring but I'm trying to get as close as I can where this is so small scale and I won't have hundreds of chicks to choose from.

I was thinking maybe white Wyandotte would be an option that could work.

 

[Amer]

Beautiful project! I approve.
I would use her best brother, if you have a brother. If you don’t, try to produce one. Five toes are a dominant gene so it can be easily selected against if you use related birds.
Hatch as many chicks as you can and watch them as they grow. Select all the birds with dark skin and four toes, and from those, select the largest with the fastest growth rate.
You should only have four-toed, black-skinned, white feathered birds left. Maybe they are big enough. Maybe not. Either way, at this point they should breed true.
Breed them together and hatch as many as you can. Select those that are the biggest with the fastest growth rate. Measure heart girth and pubic spacing, and use them in your future selections. This will increase the size and production capabilities.
It may take generations to make size, beauty, and production capabilities consistent in your flock, but once you do, you’ll have a flock to be proud of.
Congratulations, this is a feasible project.

 

[PittyLova]

Beautiful project! I approve.
I would use her best brother, if you have a brother. If you don’t, try to produce one. Five toes are a dominant gene so it can be easily selected against if you use related birds.
Hatch as many chicks as you can and watch them as they grow. Select all the birds with dark skin and four toes, and from those, select the largest with the fastest growth rate.
You should only have four-toed, black-skinned, white feathered birds left. Maybe they are big enough. Maybe not. Either way, at this point they should breed true.
Breed them together and hatch as many as you can. Select those that are the biggest with the fastest growth rate. Measure heart girth and pubic spacing, and use them in your future selections. This will increase the size and production capabilities.
It may take generations to make size, beauty, and production capabilities consistent in your flock, but once you do, you’ll have a flock to be proud of.
Congratulations, this is a feasible project.

Thank you for your kind words! Unfortunately I ended up with zero cockerels this last breeding. I do plan on putting the parents back together again for more chicks.

The concern I have had with putting siblings together with silkie so close in their line is ending up with the silkie feathering taking over. I suppose it won't hurt to at least try and worst case I end up with a brood of fluffs. I just managed to get clean legs this generation and am scared to add more silkie traits back But it does make sense to try to reproduce siblings with the same quality as this girl and work with what I have now that I've almost hit the end goal.

Thank you for your suggestions!

 

[Jennc-123]

What a beautiful pullet!

 

[Amer]

Thank you for your kind words! Unfortunately I ended up with zero cockerels this last breeding. I do plan on putting the parents back together again for more chicks.

The concern I have had with putting siblings together with silkie so close in their line is ending up with the silkie feathering taking over. I suppose it won't hurt to at least try and worst case I end up with a brood of fluffs. I just managed to get clean legs this generation and am scared to add more silkie traits back But it does make sense to try to reproduce siblings with the same quality as this girl and work with what I have now that I've almost hit the end goal.

Thank you for your suggestions!

Oh dear, I forgot about that issue. Well. You’ll have to breed those out.