Chicken Breed Focus - Silkie

[Sylvester017]

A friend hatched Silkie eggs for a homeschool project and we got two free Partridge Silkie Chicks but one of our two Silkie chicks turned out to be a roo and we had to give him back when he started to crow. We aren't zoned for roos!

Amber Waves Silkies in Norco, Calif DNA tests purebred Silkie chicks but it costs from $65 to $125 per sexed chick but it's guaranteed to be a sexed chick. DNA testing is very expensive so that's why it costs so much for each DNA sexed chick. However, their sexed cockerels are free so that's a bonus for anyone who is into breeding.

I bought another Silkie pullet from my local feed store from a private breeder selling his Silkies in-store. The Silkies were about 3-4 months old juveniles and we were sure we got a pullet before purchase otherwise as baby chicks it's impossible to tell Silkie males from females.

 

[Springtimeinidaho]

I got these guys at tractor supply for 99 cents, I know they are silkies; white silkies right?

 

[Sylvester017]

I got these guys at tractor supply for 99 cents, I know they are silkies; white silkies right?

They seem to be White Silkie chicks of the non-bearded variety. Did tractor supply have any idea how old they were when you purchased them? Silkies are adorable clowns, some can be noisey, some can be dainty, some shy, some pesty -- but ALL adorable!

Are you prepared to keep the cockerels? We had to give our cockerel back to the breeder when he started to crow, and crow, and crow! We're not zoned for roo's. Silkie pullets and hens are very stubborn broodies and I never tried to break them of it -- I just let them brood on an empty nest and made sure to take the bird off the nest a couple times a day to go eat, drink, dust-bathe, and exercise before she hurried back to her empty broody nest -- we gave extra vitamins to broodies so they don't get malnourished or sick. After 3 to 4 weeks she usually stops brooding and will be back to normal with the rest of the flock again. I had one Silkie go 6 weeks brooding before she stopped!

 

[Hinotori]

Yes they look like white silkies.

Ffft. Some of my silkies will sit months when they go broody. Most will take chicks if they've been sitting only a week. Certain of my hens don't take that long. The matriarch of that line is now in an old biddies coop. I may let her have eggs or chicks if she goes broody again, but she doesn't need to deal with a rooster anymore.

 

[pointsalamander]

hello all. I have a question. I have had a few little silkies for a bit now, but I mostly stuck to solid colors. I know that without a DNA test its almost impossible to tell female or male. But I find myself with these two little partridge cuties. I was trying to see what they would look like as adults. My little light body dark head one I found images of no problem.

What I am struggling with is my baby in the back. I only found a few imagines of a dark body with the more orange/caramel/dark buff head.... and those were roosters. Is is possible to have a hen like that or is that a sex linked trait for partridge coloring? Anyone have photos of a dark bodies orange headed hen?

(these two are 4 weeks old. The one in front was VASTLY smaller than the pen mates. The one in back is large, but was smaller than the 3rd chick in the pen who was most DEFINITELY a roo because it stood almost half again as high as my bird and was the most upright protective baby at 2 weeks).

 

[Sylvester017]

hello all. I have a question. I have had a few little silkies for a bit now, but I mostly stuck to solid colors. I know that without a DNA test its almost impossible to tell female or male. But I find myself with these two little partridge cuties. I was trying to see what they would look like as adults. My little light body dark head one I found images of no problem.

What I am struggling with is my baby in the back. I only found a few imagines of a dark body with the more orange/caramel/dark buff head.... and those were roosters. Is is possible to have a hen like that or is that a sex linked trait for partridge coloring? Anyone have photos of a dark bodies orange headed hen?

(these two are 4 weeks old. The one in front was VASTLY smaller than the pen mates. The one in back is large, but was smaller than the 3rd chick in the pen who was most DEFINITELY a roo because it stood almost half again as high as my bird and was the most upright protective baby at 2 weeks).

View attachment 1734386

Consult with @Hinotori who raises Partridge Silkies and believe me -- there are all kinds of color variations in Partridge Silkies -- one of my favorite Silkie colors because you never are exactly certain how the colors or sexes turn out LOL!

 

[Hinotori]

Most of mine do not have the black head as I've bred against it.

I do have a couple with the black head.

Left to right. Blue partridge, partridge, partridge with black head. The middle one is just a darker partridge overall.

 

[Hinotori]

This is the orange rooster variation that is a plague on the partridge color

 

[Hinotori]

Yes if the chick has actual orange feathers on head and neck it is likely a rooster, BUT, wait until at least 8-12 weeks to be sure. Even partridge take time to sex.

I can't usually sex my male chicks before 8 weeks.

 

[Katlinalyssa]

My little silkie babies.