Partridge Silkies - Nothing else

[rainbowchick]

I may have hit the silkie lottery lol. I bought some silkie hatching eggs at an auction recently. There was no mention of color, quality, or anything other than Silkie Eggs. I won the bid at $8.50 for the dozen and happily set them in my incubator. I figured if I got 1 halfway decent silkie I made a good deal. Well imagine my surprise when these babies popped out. I got 6 with perfect toes and cute beyond belief. I was told they are partridge color by a chicken friend. 3 have racing stripes and 3 are dark with lighter head..
Did I hit the lottery? Are these partridge

In other breeds, the reddish head and dark body are indicative of Brown Red. Not sure what color that translates to in Silkies... But the chipmunk ones do look like partridge!

 

[cottagechums]

Awww they are just so cute. Making me feel broody now <lol>

My Partridge was the colour of the ones with the "go faster stripes" when hatched. You will have to send more photos as they grow.

All the best with your precious bunch.

Sylvia

 

[PaulaJean]

Ok...this is likely a strange question...but, can you breed a splash with a white and get a partridge? This is Booboo and she looks just like some of your patridge babies! The picture with the 3 are some of my 2 mo old white/splash babies that also look partridge.

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[Hinotori]

Ok...this is likely a strange question...but, can you breed a splash with a white and get a partridge? This is Booboo and she looks just like some of your patridge babies! The picture with the 3 are some of my 2 mo old white/splash babies that also look partridge.

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There could be partridge under the white. I think silkies are recessive white. You won't get a partridge bird by crossing splash to even partridge. You get a blue with lots of leakage. I have two boys and a girl from splash and partridge. As chicks they were chipmunk striped.

 

[rainbowchick]

Just wanted to share my observations on sexing partridges (and silkies in general).
Female:
Straighter beak:

And smaller comb:

Male:
Curved beak:

And larger comb:

ALSO, check this out... The female has less spots on her head than the males:

Anyone else notice this??

 

[Hinotori]

All my chicks look like this (the top chick). Male and female. All of them have looked the exact same except for the ones from a hen of a different bloodline. Hers are lighter. Between 6-8 weeks my boys start getting wider combs, then a small bump. I've not missed on my female guesses, but some I've thought were boys have been girls.

Just wanted to share my observations on sexing partridges (and silkies in general).

Female:
Straighter beak:

And smaller comb:




ALSO, check this out... The female has less spots on her head than the males:


Anyone else notice this??

 

[rainbowchick]

All my chicks look like this (the top chick). Male and female. All of them have looked the exact same except for the ones from a hen of a different bloodline. Hers are lighter. Between 6-8 weeks my boys start getting wider combs, then a small bump. I've not missed on my female guesses, but some I've thought were boys have been girls. 

I've heard that it's best to evaluate your own lines, as every line can have different "tells". The sooner you figure them out, the better!

 

[cottagechums]

Hi

I have noticed the larger comb and also the different attitudes of the sexes. Think the attitudes play an important part in assessing. I also find the cockerels often hatch first. But it is not always easy and I do get it wrong. I also find taking photos and looking at them on the p.c. helps to identify between cocks and hens.

 

[rainbowchick]

Follow-up...

Chicks at 4 weeks. Both the predicted males have obvious streamers coming out, the predicted female does not...

 

[bradselig]

Follow-up...

Chicks at 4 weeks. Both the predicted males have obvious streamers coming out, the predicted female does not...

You won't see streamers for many more weeks. That is just their crest feathers coming in.