Polkie Program!

[Reptylee]

Hello! I am starting a "Polkie" (Silkie x Polish/Crested) breeding program to combine the genetics of both the head crest and the feathering/fuzz of the silkie bantam. My F1s are of course not displaying the silkie fur until I breed them back to another polkie. I believe once I get to F3, I'll have crested silkie bantams. Does anyone have any experience with this or pictures of their own polkies? Here is one of my F1 chicks (not certain of sex just yet). Any name ideas??View attachment 1616962

 

[Pyxis]

Since silkies are already crested, are you just aiming for a larger crest than they already have? Or were you also wanting something closer to the type of the Polish, just with silkied feathers? Silkie feathering is recessive, so crossing your first crosses back to silkies should yield about 50% silkie feathered offspring. Crossing the crosses together would yield about 25% silkied offspring.

 

[Reptylee]

Since silkies are already crested, are you just aiming for a larger crest than they already have? Or were you also wanting something closer to the type of the Polish, just with silkied feathers? Silkie feathering is recessive, so crossing your first crosses back to silkies should yield about 50% silkie feathered offspring. Crossing the crosses together would yield about 25% silkied offspring.

Thank you! I am aiming to produce a healthier silkie/polish with a larger crest. It should also add a more interesting color and pattern set as well with some weird variations. We shall see! Thanks again.

 

[Gray Farms]

I agree with Pyxis. Silkies are already crested. So you wanting larger crests? What other traits are you wanting to end up with? Feathered or non-feathered legs? 4 toes or 5? Bearded or non-bearded? Are you wanting to keep the Silkie size or closer to the Polish size? Are you wanting to breed specific patterns? If your just wanting to breed Silkies with larger crests you can do that without breeding to another breed. Just selectively breed you birds with the largest crests. What do you mean by "healthier"? In my experience Silkies are some of the toughest birds out there. And with so many people breeding them the gene pool is very strong.

 

[Reptylee]

Well, I am trying to produce a silkie feathered bird that has a body mass and Crest larger than a normal silkie bantam. I also want to produce more variety in color and pattern. I would also like to maintain the feathered feet but no preference on beards.

 

[Gray Farms]

Well, I am trying to produce a silkie feathered bird that has a body mass and Crest larger than a normal silkie bantam. I also want to produce more variety in color and pattern. I would also like to maintain the feathered feet but no preference on beards.

Ok sounds good. You might be better off crossbreeding to Sultans rather than Polish.

 

[Reptylee]

Wow.. I didn't even consider that but that is genius! I forgot that they have feathered feet. Thanks!

 

[Reptylee]

Wow.. I didn't even consider that but that is genius! I forgot that they have feathered feet. Thanks!

 

[Gray Farms]

They've also got the 5 toe so you won't have to worry about breeding that out of them.

 

[Reptylee]

That is also true. I have three Sultans around month old so this will be a good use for them!