# What can I do with my Red Pyle Silkie Hen? Breeding with Silkies only



## sarahup

Hi All,
I am new to Silkie breeding but have established a B/B/S breeding pen as well as a White breeding pen.
I have a Red Pyle hen and am not sure what I can do with her for breeding. I know she can't be in either of the pens I already have. I'm not familiar with "specialty colors" which I think she is? Attached pic (space Silkie, lol) I also have a lone Buff rooster and a Lavender rooster. Can I use either of them?
She's so pretty, I just don't know how her genetics work! Help please, all advice appreciated!


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## robin416

From your original post I suggested you put her with the lavender. I did some digging, that isn't the suggested breeding pairing. Thing is, I don't know why. All I found was don't do it. 

Porcelain was derived from buff/lavender breeding. So far I haven't found how the red pyle came about but with all the red showing in some I have to think it came from buffs. 

You can experiment by putting her with the lavender roo. No matter what color the peeps hatch someone will want them. 

And did you see what I said about your stunning mixed roo? He really is stunning even if he's mixed. I'd definitely experiment with him and a Silkie hen. I thought about it some later, I did put my paint roos with white hens and got paints. But the preferred pairing would be a true black.


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## sarahup

Thank you for both replies!!  When I did my other post I actually didn't have a lavender roo yet, I had a lavender hen so wouldn't have been able to mix the 2 anyway. But as of two days ago i have a lavender roo, too! He's in my profile pic. 
I LOVE learning about color genetics but for some reason I can't find anything on the entire internet it seems, on Red Pyle! I don't even know what it comes from. And even though I'm new to breeding silkies/chickens at all, I'm not new to breeding other animals and am big on responsible breeding so I didn't want to make strange mixes that nobody wants. But I suppose people will want pet silkies no matter what.
Thanks for your comments on my mixed rooster! I think you're right that he's part Cochin, because that's the only other breed his breeder has. I could ask but I already send her a million questions lol. So is he considered Paint in color? Attaching a more recent pic. I'll definitely try him out with my black Silkie hen when she starts laying soon and see what happens


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## robin416

I absolutely love that boy. It might take a few breedings to get more of the Silkie characteristics but if it can hold onto those markings it would be amazing. 

Silkie genetics are not easy. When I stopped raising them the red pyle was just coming on the scene. There were very dark buffs out there, almost red in color. But it could have come from people messing with other colors and may not breed true enough to end up being a recognized variety. That would be where to look for answers, where did the red pyle come from originally?

Yep, even if the color is all wrong people love to have good looking Silkies as yard ornaments. All those peeps that were used to develop paints had to go somewhere when they didn't meet standard. Usually the ended up with people that wanted pets.

Keep records of who the parents are. If you don't like the outcome you've got a record of what not to do. Or for what did work. Just don't mix your lavender with the BBS. Totally different color genes there.


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## Maryellen

That silkie mix rooster is freaking gorgeous


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## robin416

Isn't he amazing? I find many mixed breeds to be very attractive but that guy puts them all to shame.


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## sarahup

Maryellen said:


> That silkie mix rooster is freaking gorgeous





robin416 said:


> Isn't he amazing? I find many mixed breeds to be very attractive but that guy puts them all to shame.


I'm so glad to hear that he has fans! Lol. I bought him on a whim from the same breeder I got most of mine. She posted him a couple months ago for $30 at around 9/10 months old. Wasn't sure if I could do any breeding with him (just thought the little hearts were cool, we call him Heart Boy!) but now I'm excited to try! He's really sweet, too. Protects one of my younger, smaller hens from getting picked on when they are all free ranging together


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## robin416

I can't wait to see what his peeps look like.


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## Maryellen

He is really stunning. I can't wait to see babies from him either


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## Tango5

sarahup said:


> Hi All,
> I am new to Silkie breeding but have established a B/B/S breeding pen as well as a White breeding pen.
> I have a Red Pyle hen and am not sure what I can do with her for breeding. I know she can't be in either of the pens I already have. I'm not familiar with "specialty colors" which I think she is? Attached pic (space Silkie, lol) I also have a lone Buff rooster and a Lavender rooster. Can I use either of them?
> She's so pretty, I just don't know how her genetics work! Help please, all advice appreciated!
> View attachment 31848


Red Pyle is a color that sometimes will pop up from paint breedings. It is *basically white with a red over the back and shoulders*. Red Pyle silkies are a project color and so there can be some color variation. The red can be darker or lighter and the amount of red can also vary. So they originated from Paints.


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## Tango5

Tango5 said:


> Red Pyle is a color that sometimes will pop up from paint breedings. It is *basically white with a red over the back and shoulders*. Red Pyle silkies are a project color and so there can be some color variation. The red can be darker or lighter and the amount of red can also vary. So they originated from Paints.


Can be paired with other Red Pyles or Partridge.


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## Tiggs

Tango5 said:


> Can be paired with other Red Pyles or Partridge.


Yes. It is suggested using partridge, red pyle or white


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## Tiggs

Tiggs said:


> Yes. It is suggested using partridge, red pyle or white





Tiggs said:


> Yes. It is suggested using partridge, red pyle or white


But I also believe you can breed red pyle with paint also seeing as how that is really how they originated the color


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## robin416

White? That one bothers me. White is not dominant in Silkies so breeding a red pyle to a white could get you a bunch of mixed colors. 

Paint would be interesting to see how that turned out.


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