Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[Elliemae1984]

will silkie mom’s always have black skinned offsprings?

I’m no expert, but I would think yes, unless there’s been a cross with another breed in the line . Curious to see what everyone else says.

 

[Hinotori]

will silkie mom’s always have black skinned offsprings?

Not necessarily. The black skin is sex linked

 

[Hinotori]

A pure silkie should have black skin. Not having it is a disqualification. That's why a color like cuckoo has issues as it creates pigment holes in the skin in addition to the feather barring. Cuckoo may never be accepted as a color because of it.

 

[chickengr]

Not necessarily. The black skin is sex linked

can you please explain how black skin is sex linked?

 

[Hinotori]

can you please explain how black skin is sex linked?

Silkie black skin is on the Z chromosome. Roosters are ZZ and hens are ZW. So hens only carry 1 copy of it. It's the same with cuckoo/barred genes and why the males look lighter than females since they have a double dose of it and tighter barring.

An ameraucana rooster (white skin) crossed to a silkie hen gives white skinned pullets and grey skinned cockerels. The pullets can only get their Z gene from their father. The cockerels get one from each parent.

 

[Ponypoor]

The hens are pale. The roosters show the red.

*Not my pictures*
These are OEGB. The color is long established in the breed so it shows the proper color
View attachment 3575323
View attachment 3575324View attachment 3575325

Very interesting, I have some Polish X chicks here that are showing that light tan colouring on their necks - I initially thought they were dirty, and I tried to clean up their feathers. After I put on my glasses I noted it was the feather colour

 

[Ponypoor]

Silkie black skin is on the Z chromosome. Roosters are ZZ and hens are ZW. So hens only carry 1 copy of it. It's the same with cuckoo/barred genes and why the males look lighter than females since they have a double dose of it and tighter barring.

An ameraucana rooster (white skin) crossed to a silkie hen gives white skinned pullets and grey skinned cockerels. The pullets can only get their Z gene from their father. The cockerels get one from each parent.

Again interesting; my Polish X Silkie (mama) cockerel has black skin though, is that normal?

For the longest time I hoped he was a pullet, good to know that next try I should look for white skin for a pullet

 

[Hinotori]

Again interesting; my Polish X Silkie (mama) cockerel has black skin though, is that normal?

For the longest time I hoped he was a pullet, good to know that next try I should look for white skin for a pullet

View attachment 3576543

Yes he's normal. Depending on how pigmented they are, you can't even tell they carry the dark skin. Sometimes the grey is light in color on mixes. I've had surprises when butchering.

My half silkie rooster in with my large fowl is a pale grey, but he's molted enough that I've seen his skin pretty well. Just looking at him you can't tell. He has a daughter that is more obviously black skinned

 

[yakitori]

An ameraucana rooster (white skin) crossed to a silkie hen gives white skinned pullets and grey skinned cockerels.

Any Idea how this girl came to have dark skin? Dad was a golden neck d’uccle and Mom was a white silkie hen. All of the chicks ended up being paint with dark skin. The only tell tale sign i could see to distinguish genders were redder, larger combs on the males at 6 weeks. I also have a sibling, same mother, but dad could be golden neck or millefleur. None of the parents are my own chickens.As far as I can tell from pulling back their feather, both have dark skin

2 year old

bottom of feet looks yellowish


8 Week old

bottom of feet looks greenish

 

[Hinotori]

Any Idea how this girl came to have dark skin? Dad was a golden neck d’uccle and Mom was a white silkie hen. All of the chicks ended up being paint with dark skin. The only tell tale sign i could see to distinguish genders were redder, larger combs on the males at 6 weeks. I also have a sibling, same mother, but dad could be golden neck or millefleur. None of the parents are my own chickens.As far as I can tell from pulling back their feather, both have dark skin

2 year old
View attachment 3576767
bottom of feet looks yellowish
View attachment 3576781

8 Week old
View attachment 3576780
bottom of feet looks greenish
View attachment 3576782

I cant even guess.

Im not sure where the other black color genes are located. The swedish black and ayam cemani have a different black than silkies and I'm not sure if they even have the same one as each other.

There is the issue with paint that is uses dominant white which was bred in from elsewhere. True white silkies are recessive white.

Silkies should have white leg skin gene under the black, not yellow. D’uccle should have slate legs. I'm not even sure where willow colored legs came from. So there is some mixing somewhere.