Silkie Sexing Project! (will get updated)

[Broody Bist]

**lots of pics included**
HI EVERYONE

So I think I’m gonna go ahead and get started on my silkie sexing project.

I do plan on updating this once they are fully grown and the differences between the guys and gals are obvious.
I know, I know, lots of people forget to update, but I’m making it a habit to go through my old threads and keep them updated. All of my sexing threads thus far have been updated, which I am SUPER proud of


So anyway, back to the project. I got 6 little silkies for my birthday (which was in January) that I have been wanting for a looooong time. I just love them to death, but I’m afraid more than one rooster is out of the question.

These silkies are straight run, and to be honest I’m not completely sure they are 100% silkie. All have 5 toes, adorable fluffy floofs, and look just like normal silkies mostly. BUT my two grays appear to have single combs (Lucy and Ethel) and my white (Skippy) has pink skin. I thought that was a little odd, but she is my favorite I have to admit and her pinkie skin makes her that much cuter



So my little babies are about one month old now. I know, usually too early to tell anything as far as sex goes. BUT I do have a few rooster suspects. 3, actually.
Like I said, this is a sexing project, so I’m gonna update this every once in a while to see of my suspicions are correct, and so maybe some of y’all silkie owners can compare. But guesses at gender are welcomed and appreciated. Actually, they’re encouraged lol.


So here’s a little background on the suspects. (Sorry if I just refer to some of them as he’s or she’s, it’s just whatever I’m used to)

First, Silkie Seymour. I mostly just call him Silkie (basic, I know). He was supposed to be a white, but he’s turning out to be a white-and-gray-and-buff. Lol. He’s one of my prettiest silkies honestly, but he has got an ATTITUDE. Bows up at me every time I stick my hand in there, sometimes gets a pinch of my skin and tugs it. It doesn’t hurt yet, but I know he’s not always gonna be the size of a softball. I usually handle him a little afterwards to show who’s the boss of who.
Anyway, his comb is about 2x the size of the others, and he’s a good bit larger, too.
PICS!!

(He’s such a little model)


NEXT, Unnamed.
I know. Pitiful.
But nothing seems to be sticking to this little guy, so I’m just gonna have to wait for a good name (suggestions appreciated!!). So ‘he’ is a buff, very beautiful. I’m still crossing my fingers that he could be a hen. His comb is a little smaller than Silkie Seymour’s, and darker too, which is odd. He is almost the same size as Silkie. He has got a bit of a tude, but not as bad.
PICS!!

(I know, not that many pics, but he’s a bit more camera shy than Mr. Seymour)


The 3rd suspect is just barely a suspect, actually. Ethel. She is a gray, like I mentioned above, and single combed. The thing is, her ‘wattles’ (what little there are lol) are a little more pronounced than Lucy’s, and her comb is taller. It’s starting to make me wonder a little bit. That’s all I have for evidence though, she has the temperament of a hen and is no bigger than Lucy, and definitely not as big as her ‘brothers’. But still, I’ve had some late blooming single combed roos that look similar to her.
PICS!!


So there you have it!! I am going to put some pics of my suspected hens as well, just for the heck of it. I mean, it’s nice to compare hens as well.

Skippy
Skippy has a scissor beak, but I’m hoping it won’t get too much worse, since it is just now starting to show. I’m thinking about making a separate thread about it. I would be devastated if I had to put her away


Lucy



Marian

(Lucy and Marian are super shy, so I don’t have many pics of them. Sorry)




That’s all for now folks!! If you read this far, thanks for putting up with my rambling lol. I PROMISE this will get updated eventually.

Happy V Day!!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I just love them to death, but I’m afraid more than one rooster is out of the question.

Good morning!

Where did your Silkies come from?

The straight comb (or pink skin) doesn't mean not pure Silkie. What it means is a Silkie with poor quality breeding ( just a statement, not a judgement to your lovely birds) or simply a fault that wasn't caught by the breeder or they don't make selections for quality period. They could either have a straight comb they haven't noticed in their stock or it could be a hidden fault being thrown they haven't done test mating to eliminate from their stock. I had one Silkie gal I didn't realize was straight combed until she was about 6 months old and I was specifically checking for faults. But at standard distance she looked completely quality. If they came from hatchery... it's par for the course and getting all birds with 5 toes and nice crest is a bonus.

Having more than one rooster is not out of the question if you have enough ladies and space. But honestly... Silkie boys were the biggest jerks out of ALL the breeds I raised.. (little man syndrome) and a couple of yours are sounding like they are perfect for the soup pot if they don't get put in check sooner than later. Their small size doesn't protect them here... especially because attitude breeds forward.

Did you do the wing feather sexing on these when they were still young? Seems like Silkies was one breed it was reported to work for. Or what method did you use?

Looks like most of them may be non bearded? The one you refer to as grey is technically blue in color.

Sounds like you're having an awesome adventure!

 

[Broody Bist]

Good morning!

Where did your Silkies come from?

The straight comb (or pink skin) doesn't mean not pure Silkie. What it means is a Silkie with poor quality breeding ( just a statement, not a judgement to your lovely birds) or simply a fault that wasn't caught by the breeder or they don't make selections for quality period. They could either have a straight comb they haven't noticed in their stock or it could be a hidden fault being thrown they haven't done test mating to eliminate from their stock. I had one Silkie gal I didn't realize was straight combed until she was about 6 months old and I was specifically checking for faults. But at standard distance she looked completely quality. If they came from hatchery... it's par for the course and getting all birds with 5 toes and nice crest is a bonus.

Having more than one rooster is not out of the question if you have enough ladies and space. But honestly... Silkie boys were the biggest jerks out of ALL the breeds I raised.. (little man syndrome) and a couple of yours are sounding like they are perfect for the soup pot if they don't get put in check sooner than later. Their small size doesn't protect them here... especially because attitude breeds forward.

Did you do the wing feather sexing on these when they were still young? Seems like Silkies was one breed it was reported to work for. Or what method did you use?

Looks like most of them may be non bearded? The one you refer to as grey is technically blue in color.

Sounds like you're having an awesome adventure!

Thank you sm for replying!! My aunt (the one who bought me the chicks for my birthday) got them from a woman who raises silkies. She just happened to have a batch of unwanted chicks coming around my birthday. Aunt Mandy said all of her silkies were in great shape and she took really good care of them. The silkies were in great shape when she got them.

I read about the wing sexing, but it said it works for chicks that are only a few days old. Unfortunately, Aunt Mandy had to keep them at her house for a week so she could surprise me, so I didn’t get them until it was too late for that. And they didn’t have any baby pics of them either
I’m just guessing roosters solely off of behavior and looks. I know that doesn’t work 80% of the time, but I usually have good luck guessing lol.

It seems like I keep hearing that silkie roosters are little devils lol, but if that is the case I’ll probably have to rehome all of them
I know there are mean and nice roos in every breed, but you never know. I’ll just have to wait until they mature I guess.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I’m just guessing roosters solely off of behavior and looks. I know that doesn’t work 80% of the time, but I usually have good luck guessing lol.

Sometimes I can tell gender within the first few days of hatch just by behavior.

I know there are mean and nice roos in every breed, but you never know. I’ll just have to wait until they mature I guess.

Yes, not all of my guys were little devils. Just more of them than any of my other breeds. But there were still quite a few really special little guys.

Maybe you can head off the behavior of the ones that are grabbing and biting? Give them something else to focus on before your approach? Just brain storming to try and help them become successful and stay with you.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[MissCora141]

My silkie roosters are both angels have had no trouble with them.

 

[Broody Bist]

Sometimes I can tell gender within the first few days of hatch just by behavior.


Yes, not all of my guys were little devils. Just more of them than any of my other breeds. But there were still quite a few really special little guys.

Maybe you can head off the behavior of the ones that are grabbing and biting? Give them something else to focus on before your approach? Just brain storming to try and help them become successful and stay with you.

Thanks for sharing!

Every time they bite I pick them up and hold them for a minute or two, it seems to be working pretty good. Silkie hasn’t bit me in a while.

 

[Broody Bist]

My silkie roosters are both angels have had no trouble with them.

Hope mine are like that!!

 

[Broody Bist]

UPDATE

Here it is!! My little silkies are a little over 3 months and are living happily outside in their new coop.

So, there have been a few changes. First, names.

“Silkie Seymour” is what my dad wanted to name him, but it was just one of those names that wasn’t sticking, know what I mean? So now, he is Elliot!! I don’t know why, it just fits him lol. I am almost 1000% he is a roo.
PICS!!

Also, he is a SWEETHEART (knock on wood lol). He follows me everywhere when I let them out to free range, and he jumps in my lap when I sit in the grass. I love him to death. I hope he stays this sweet.


Next, the unnamed buff is now named! And I’m pretty sure I was wrong with this one. Her comb doesn’t seem to be getting any bigger than the other hens, and her feathering is different than Elliot’s. Pretty sure I have another hen!! Her name is Trudy.
She’s a little camera shy, but I have a few pics of her with the others. She’s the buff.
PICS!!


One of the other changes... number. I am down to only 5 silkies. Ethel died of coccidiosis shortly after this thread was made. It was my first time dealing with the disease, I guess I wasn’t quick enough to catch it. I will never know if she was a roo or hen, but she was a sweet little thing.

Here are my other babies that I still think are hens.

Skippy
Her beak is getting worse, but she still seems to be growing and gaining weight. I will be devastated if I lose her.




Lucy and Marian
Still pretty skittish, but I managed to get a pic or two. Still thinking hens for these two. (Lucy-gray, Marian-black)


Well, that’s it. I can’t belive my luck if I really have only one roo. Elliot is a doll (so far). The next update will be a crow or an egg!!! Thanks for reading

 

[Broody Bist]

ANOTHER UPDATE!!

I’m back with another update!!
**sorry, I don’t want to get too annoying with the updates, but I heard Silkies were very difficult to sex, and I just wanted this thread to help anyone that needed to sex their chicks early by comparison**

So I’ll *try to* make this short and sweet.


My babies are a week or two away from 5 months old, and by far my favorite chickens. They follow me around the yard like puppies, and I love watching them run across the yard like linebackers when they see food coming. No crows or eggs, but I just couldn’t wait to do an update. Anyway, here’s the pics!!

Elliot
Still voting roo for this guy. Elliot is probably my favorite chicken that I own at the moment. I know I’m going to be majorly disappointed once he reaches maturity, but right now he is the sweetest little thing. Haven’t heard any crows or attempted crows yet, but he does herd the others around and loves being in charge. Here he is!!



Skippy
Skippy’s beak has only gotten worse She seems to be growing fine, but I have noticed that she weighs less than the others. She’s such a beautiful and sweet hen, I don’t want to lose her. I’m open to suggestions from anyone that’s dealt with scissor beak before.


Trudy
I think it’s safe to say that Trudy is a hen. She has the most personality of my silkies, I could sit and watch her for hours. Sometimes I call her “the T-Rex” because of the way she runs around the yard.


Lucy
Lucy has warmed up to me a lot since the last update. She has the cutest face, and she’s getting pretty fat lol. Always the first to the food.


Marian
She’s still really skittish, but very pretty. I think I can safely say she is a hen as well.


That’s it for the update!! Thanks for reading, I hope this can help someone down the road

 

[bantamsrmyfav]

I love when people update their threads so thanks for the updates! I think you are right on their genders!

For scissor beak I’ve read of one person giving their hen a deeper dish so that she can “scoop” up her food.