Question Silkies with yellow beaks and legs
-
- Newly Hatched Chick
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2016 4:27 pm
- x 3
Silkies with yellow beaks and legs
Hi Guys --- everything I have read says that Silkies have black beaks and legs... two of the four chicks I bought have yellow. Everything else about them says Silkies ... is this possible ?
Thanks for any responses !!!!
Thanks for any responses !!!!
0
- baronrenfrew
- Stringy Old Chicken
- Posts: 2353
- Joined: Fri Dec 18, 2015 11:07 pm
- Location: renfrew, on
- x 3506
Silkies with yellow beaks and legs
Yes, of course. At some point in the distant or recent past, their ancestors were crossbred with a bird with wrong beak/leg colour. Then crossed back to silkies creating the bird you now have. What you have is officially a "silkie cross" and cannot be relied upon to "breed true to type". If the rooster you use is a good example of a silkie (beak/leg colour, body shape, feathers etc.) and the hens are these birds then most off spring will be true to type. Even breeding birds that are true to type you will have bad characteristics that will show up in offspring, known as throwbacks. Or you will have a chick that is way different than their parents; thus the term mutants. This is how silkies and all other breeds were developed in the first place from jungle fowl.
From a flock of Chinese ringneck pheasants a few birds had strange feather colours: they were bred and created a strain known as melanistic mutants.
Depending on your needs/breeding plans these birds are fine or should be sold/culled.
From a flock of Chinese ringneck pheasants a few birds had strange feather colours: they were bred and created a strain known as melanistic mutants.
Depending on your needs/breeding plans these birds are fine or should be sold/culled.
0
Diligently follow the path of two swords as one. Percieve that which the eye cannot see. Seek the truth in all things. Do not engage in useless activity.
The Book of Five Rings, Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's greatest swordsmen
The Book of Five Rings, Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's greatest swordsmen
- madison174
- On the Roost
- Posts: 186
- Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 11:09 pm
- Location: Woodstock area
- x 183
- Contact:
Silkies with yellow beaks and legs
It is not the breed standard, however, sometimes with newer colours you get the odd one with the right feather colour but a difference in leg/skin colour. In paint silkies, it's not entirely uncommon to have 'pigment holes' where toes and occasionally beaks are lighter...but they do darken as they grow.
Can you post pics of your chicks?
Can you post pics of your chicks?
0
Silkies with yellow beaks and legs
The Fm, fibromelanotic gene that causes black in the skin and tissues, is influenced by other genes. So the colour of your silkie and the genetic background of that collour will affect the amount of black in the skin, as the Baron said. For example if your silkie is wheaten based, they will not be as black.
0
-
- Newly Hatched Chick
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2016 4:27 pm
- x 3
Silkies with yellow beaks and legs
We have them just as "pets" no plans to show them ... and I am thinking that they are probably silkie-crosses... funny though the hens both have black beaks and feet... the roosters have the yellow. Thanks for the responses and sorry it took me so long to thank you for talking the time to answer. We are newbies in chickens but really enjoying them.
2