Smoky Black Silkie

DNA Testing – Dominant White, Smoky & Dun Genes

$25.00

Determine if your birds carry the Dominant White, Smoky, or Dun gene!

This test detects mutations in the PMEL17 gene responsible for Dominant White, Smoky, and Dun color variations in chickens.
All three alleles are run together in a single multiplex PCR reaction, giving you a full I-locus profile with one sample.

What It Reports:

  • Dominant White (I): 9-bp insertion in exon 10

  • Smoky (Iᴿ): 9-bp insertion + 12-bp deletion in exon 6

  • Dun (Iᴰ): 15-bp deletion in exon 10

  • Wild Type (i): no PMEL17 mutation detected

Tested in our own lab. No shipping charges, results post to your account in about 2 to 3 business days after your samples arrive.

How to collect a feather sample
  1. Pluck 3 to 5 growing feathers from the chest or back. Pull them out, do not cut them.
  2. Check that the soft quill tip is attached to each one. That tip holds the DNA, a cut feather will not work.
  3. Put each bird's feathers in their own labelled paper envelope or a small ziplock.
  4. Mail the envelopes to us in a regular stamped envelope.

Takes about a minute per bird. No vet visit, and nothing ships to you first.

*Please do not choose this option for Silkies who do not yet have real feathers. This does not work with chick down. Please use blood spots on a plain piece of white paper or an index card for silkies that aren’t old enough to have real feathers yet. 

Science Note: Smoky, Dominant White, and Dun are all versions of the same PMEL17 gene. While Dominant White blocks nearly all black pigment, Smoky carries that same mutation plus a small deletion that partially restores pigment production. The result is that Smoky on a black background produces a deep dark blue or slate color instead of white. Dun, by contrast, creates a softer chocolate-gray dilution.

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