# Breeding



## matt_kas (Mar 11, 2013)

Anybody know what you will get when you cross a white silkie and a black Japanese bantam?!


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## JC17 (Apr 4, 2013)

It will probably be black since the darker genes are dominant


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## ReTIRED (Mar 28, 2013)

A yard of black and white Japanese *silk ?*


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## BuckeyeChickens (Jul 11, 2012)

matt_kas said:


> Anybody know what you will get when you cross a white silkie and a black Japanese bantam?!


Typically when crossing a white bird and black bird the offspring is considered "blue" in color. Some will be "blue", some "black" and some "splash" as detailed below;

Blue Poultry Genetics:

Blue X Blue = 50% Blue, 25% Black, 25% Splash
Blue X Black = 50% Blue, 50% Black
Blue X Splash = 50% Blue, 50% Splash
Black X Black = 100% Black
Splash X Splash = 100% Splash
Splash X Black = 100% Blue

The "Splash" is technically "mixed white" the birds can appear solid white or can have some "blue" and/or "black" splashes of color (think of a Dalmation dog for example). We don't call them white any longer because they generally will not breed pure white in the F2 generation....as stated above Splash to Splash produces 100% Splash (not white)!

In the case of a Silkie to a regular feathered fowl your offspring can be a mix of Silkie like feathering, regular feathering and/or a frizzle can happen as well (flipped backward like feathering)! Breeders have used the cross of Black to White to create "Blues" in a variety of different breeds.

Ultimately your cross will be a "mutt" or a "hybrid" but it will be a fun little experiment none the less!!!


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