silkie colors

[IndianaGardener]

Hi,

If I get a white silkie that is carrying partridge, and I have the option of getting a black or blue roo for her, which color (if either) would bring out partridge in the offspring? Logic says black roo???
Thanks.
Bye for now,

[Kickingbird]

Indy,

I don't know off the top of my head if the silkie white is recessive or dominate. But I would definetly go with the black rooster. If you use blue you have one more gene in the mix that needs to be bred out. If you get a black bird you know there is no blue so you never have to worry about that color creeping up. The big question is what patterns or colors is the black hiding? If it comes from a true breeding black flock it is likely that all of the birds will be pure for black (CC) and pure for the extention of black (EE). In this case your F1 will likely be all black, however on your F2's if you breed enough of them should give you some of the under lying colors that are recessive to black.

I'll give you an example. Last year I bred a blue rooster to some barred rock hens. I kept the pullets that were blue and black (no barring). This year I bred them back to their blue father, so far I have chicks that are blue, black, columbian, and splash. The columbian is the most recessive color pattern and is just now showing itself in the F2's (in fact I didn't even know it was there )

If I run across anything other information that will help you with this I'll let you know.

Mark

[IndianaGardener]

Thanks Mark. I was thinking black also.
>I don't know off the top of my head if the silkie white is recessive or dominate>
Recessive.
I guess I need to ask the breeder what his blacks are carrying and go from there. I don't even really know when I'll be getting them. I have to make room somewhere.
Thanks again.
Bye for now,