# Why does my blue silkie have rust in its hackle feathers?



## expertnewbie (Mar 11, 2013)

Hey does my blue silkie have a rust color in his hackle feathers???


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## expertnewbie (Mar 11, 2013)

expertnewbie said:


> Hey does my blue silkie have a rust color in his hackle feathers???


Anyone?.........


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## matt_kas (Mar 11, 2013)

I have a buff silkie with some black feathering, it just means its not a purebred


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

matt_kas said:


> I have a buff silkie with some black feathering, it just means its not a purebred


Incorrect. Depending on where these off colors occur there is something called melanin. You will see gold or silver in the hackles of blacks. Or it sounds like this is happening with the blue.

You can also color leakage from being out to other colors of the same breed. I don't know buff genetics well enough to say why black occurs very often in buffs, especially in the males.

This is why care and consideration must be taken when considering crossing to another color. You can't see those color genetics and they can pop out and any time.


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