9 week partridge frizzled silkies, gender?

rcstanley

Songster
6 Years
Aug 2, 2013
271
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116
Utah County, Utah
I have two "silkies" I am trying to sex. They are 9 weeks old. They were chipmunk looking chicks, so my understanding is they are partridge and someone who knows what they are doing (not me) should be able to sex by color. Any guesses on gender? The first one is a frizzle:







The second one is a smooth silkie, also partridge:

700

When I asked before, people said the second one was probably female. Does this still look to be true?
Edited to add: I put partridge, but I think I meant duckling.
 
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Silkies are very hard to sex, but I am thinking that both are pullets. For sure, I think the second one is.
 
Even for people who know what they are doing, 9 weeks is way too young.
Why? (genuinely curious) Is it because the feathers for the male/female color patterns would not be grown in yet?

I know in general for silkies, 9 weeks is too young. My understanding was with partridge there were color patterns that were male and some that were female, so if you had one of those color patterns you would know gender.
 
Bird #1 is a Sizzle. Basically a Silkie with a different feather type, but the correct name is Sizzle. It's not Partridge, I wouldn't say its any specific color. Nothing is screaming cockerel.

Bird #2 is probably a Silkie mix. May have Partridge Silkie in it but the color is not Partridge. Mixed color. Looks like a pullet, it's flat feathered so if it isn't growing cockerel feathers within the next 3 weeks or so it's definitely a pullet.
Why? (genuinely curious)  Is it because the feathers for the male/female color patterns would not be grown in yet?

I know in general for silkies, 9 weeks is too young.  My understanding was with partridge there were color patterns that were male and some that were female, so if  you had one of those color patterns you would know gender.


That's basically correct. 9 weeks I wouldn't say is way too young for a flat feathered bird like your #2 pullet, but for Frizzles, Sizzles, and Silkies, it is - even for a real Partridge bird, patterns don't clear up until 15, 16 weeks at least, and they're still more muddled in Sizzles/Silkies than any other breed.
 
Bird #1 is a Sizzle. Basically a Silkie with a different feather type, but the correct name is Sizzle. It's not Partridge, I wouldn't say its any specific color. Nothing is screaming cockerel.

Bird #2 is probably a Silkie mix. May have Partridge Silkie in it but the color is not Partridge. Mixed color. Looks like a pullet, it's flat feathered so if it isn't growing cockerel feathers within the next 3 weeks or so it's definitely a pullet.
That's basically correct. 9 weeks I wouldn't say is way too young for a flat feathered bird like your #2 pullet, but for Frizzles, Sizzles, and Silkies, it is - even for a real Partridge bird, patterns don't clear up until 15, 16 weeks at least, and they're still more muddled in Sizzles/Silkies than any other breed.


Thank you for your clear explanation.
 
Bird #1 is a Sizzle. Basically a Silkie with a different feather type, but the correct name is Sizzle. It's not Partridge, I wouldn't say its any specific color. Nothing is screaming cockerel.

Bird #2 is probably a Silkie mix. May have Partridge Silkie in it but the color is not Partridge. Mixed color. Looks like a pullet, it's flat feathered so if it isn't growing cockerel feathers within the next 3 weeks or so it's definitely a pullet.
That's basically correct. 9 weeks I wouldn't say is way too young for a flat feathered bird like your #2 pullet, but for Frizzles, Sizzles, and Silkies, it is - even for a real Partridge bird, patterns don't clear up until 15, 16 weeks at least, and they're still more muddled in Sizzles/Silkies than any other breed.
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