Silkie Color Verification and Breeding Program

[BlendedFamilyFarmSilkies]

Hello! I have 6 2 month old silkies I purchased from a color pure breeder. I have two with color in question I will post pictures of. Here’s the combos I believe I have:

3 black/lavender splits (1 is definitely a roo)
1 paint or splash roo (posting pic)
1 white (hen?)
1 gray or blue (hen? Posting pic)

Please let me know which colors you think I have and which chickens I can breed together to remain color pure or what colors/sexes I need to add for a proper breeding program.

Also wondering what your breeding set up looks like; do you breed one specific hen to one specific roo in a separate pen altogether-if so how do you do this? Or do you keep them separate based on what colors will end up with color pure chicks?

TYIA!

 

[BlendedFamilyFarmSilkies]

Not sure why I’m not getting any responses. I’m new here and don’t know what I’m doing! Is this the wrong place to post this question?

 

[CoopBoots]

Hi! I think you might have better luck in one of these sub-forums for the color portion of your question:

Sorry I can't be of more help, but your birds are just beautiful! Good luck!

 

[BlendedFamilyFarmSilkies]

Hi! I think you might have better luck in one of these sub-forums for the color portion of your question:

View attachment 4037095
Sorry I can't be of more help, but your birds are just beautiful! Good luck!

Thank you!

 

[2ndTink]

Not sure why I’m not getting any responses. I’m new here and don’t know what I’m doing! Is this the wrong place to post this question?

Hey! Welcome to BYC!

Yeah, you may get more traffic in the Genetics forum, or maybe the Breed / Gender forum.

What colors did the breeder have?

The first one in question, paint should be black and white. I know you can do dominant white + some other color but it's not correct. It's possible he is dominant white + ?. The second one, maybe a splash?

 

[BlendedFamilyFarmSilkies]

Hey! Welcome to BYC!

Yeah, you may get more traffic in the Genetics forum, or maybe the Breed / Gender forum.

What colors did the breeder have?

The first one in question, paint should be black and white. I know you can do dominant white + some other color but it's not correct. It's possible he is dominant white + ?. The second one, maybe a splash?

The breeder is big time into the showing world so she breeds most colors, I believe except buff and partridge. She accidentally gave me the (possible gray?) she meant to keep that one for her showing program.

The other one she said she believes is a splash because she did not have any paints in the hatch she gave me.

My husband wants to just breed what we have and have a rainbow flock but I’m interested in staying color pure and selling chicks!

 

[2ndTink]

You can breed a splash + blue and you will get 50% blue and 50% splash chicks.

The white, is that dominant or recessive?

Your black split to Lavender, you can breed those with black, blue and splash, but you won't know who is carrying recessive lavender. As long as you know it's in there and you tell anyone who buys them for breeding they might be carrying lavender, that isn't too bad. It just really aggravating to buy BBS hatching eggs and have random colors pop out from all the hidden genetics.

 

[BlendedFamilyFarmSilkies]

You can breed a splash + blue and you will get 50% blue and 50% splash chicks.

The white, is that dominant or recessive?

Your black split to Lavender, you can breed those with black, blue and splash, but you won't know who is carrying recessive lavender. As long as you know it's in there and you tell anyone who buys them for breeding they might be carrying lavender, that isn't too bad. It just really aggravating to buy BBS hatching eggs and have random colors pop out from all the hidden genetics.

Okay so the one that looks gray or blue you believe to be a blue?

I’m not sure if the white is dominant or recessive. I will ask the breeder the next time she texts me back. How will that change what color chicks she produces?

Fantastic so if I do have the black, blue, splash, I’m already well off. Can I pair the white hen with the black/lavender or splash roo and get color pure chicks or no?

So basically if that hen is a blue the only chick I have to worry about not being color compatible is possibly white…I think. Please verify!

 

[Slothinc]

I am not super familiar with what splash looks like when growing out because I haven’t ever had splash. But that first one doesn’t look paint to me. Paint is dominant white over black. And especially if the breeder told you she didn’t have paints in that batch. So he is probably splash.

The gray looking one I would guess is blue? Or splash? Or gray? Or lavender? lol it is so hard to tell right now!

If you can find out if the white is dominant or recessive that would be helpful to you to know. If dominant, then bred to black the offspring would be 100% paint. If recessive, it would have no white offspring unless the roo carries recessive white also. If you have pictures of the white one maybe we could tell?

 

[2ndTink]

Okay so the one that looks gray or blue you believe to be a blue?

I’m not sure if the white is dominant or recessive. I will ask the breeder the next time she texts me back. How will that change what color chicks she produces?

Fantastic so if I do have the black, blue, splash, I’m already well off. Can I pair the white hen with the black/lavender or splash roo and get color pure chicks or no?

So basically if that rooster is a blue the only chick I have to worry about not being color compatible is possibly white…I think. Please verify!

I'm not super confident on either chicks you posted about actual color.

If the white is recessive white, you don't know what it's hiding, I wouldn't breed it unless you really track who after that is carrying recessive white. If it I'd dominant white, then breed that to a black and you'll have paints.