silkie sexing

[Amy12345]

These are my two silkies, they will be 9 weeks on Sunday I've no clue if hen or rooster any guesses?

 

[Faraday40]

These are my two silkies, they will be 9 weeks on Sunday I've no clue if hen or rooster any guesses?

Both have some very red combs. Although it's too early to know for sure, those red combs may indicate male-ness. That's the only male sign I see at this point.

 

[kurby22]

These are my two silkies, they will be 9 weeks on Sunday I've no clue if hen or rooster any guesses?

They are beautiful! I think it is pretty early to know much with silkies, but I lean towards saying number 1 looks male and I would watch how much more that comb grows...and 2 seems to have a smaller comb but it is fairly red too--so I think it is too soon to hazard a guess for #2.

 

[Faraday40]

Tell me what you think.....

3.5 months

I'm leaning toward 2 females, but still not truly sure about the bigger one. (Smaller one was a "failure to thrive" chick from same hatch who has not caught up)

close ups:
Comb is narrow. Not 100% flat but looks more female than male to me. *

Crest is neat and more rounded .....

....But does have slightly longer feathers in back (only along bottom). I don't think they're streamers, but never had a male.

 

[Faraday40]

Here are the same 2 Silkies after hatch. I think they were 3-4 days old in pic below. The smaller one is one day younger. They were both broody-raised. During the 1st week, I thought the size difference was that extra day. Then I thought perhaps the bigger one was male. (But it had a very narrow walnut comb)

The smaller one ate but didn't seem to grow. Feather growth was also delayed. I knew the size difference had to be more than age or gender. I pulled the silkies out daily for some extra time with the food bowl and also some protein treats.

Here they were at 6 weeks

8 weeks

12 weeks

 

[kurby22]

Here are the same 2 Silkies after hatch. I think they were 3-4 days old in pic below. The smaller one is one day younger. They were both broody-raised. During the 1st week, I thought the size difference was that extra day. Then I thought perhaps the bigger one was male. (But it had a very narrow walnut comb)

The smaller one ate but didn't seem to grow. Feather growth was also delayed. I knew the size difference had to be more than age or gender. I pulled the silkies out daily for some extra time with the food bowl and also some protein treats.

Here they were at 6 weeks

8 weeks

12 weeks

Hmmm that’s tough! I would lean towards a boy for the bigger one based on the feathers on its head…I have a white Silkie pullet the same age and she definitely doesn’t have those longer feathers on her head fluff. But the comb is pretty small…they can take quite awhile to get their comb though. Your tiny one seems like a female to me!

 

[Faraday40]

The big one's gender has me guessing. Most traits point to female..... but its size and back of head are male-like.

The small runt actually had a wider comb (in proportion to its beak) but now looks very female.

	Big	Runt
Comb	narrow = female	narrow = female
Toe feathers	less = female	less = female
Chest bumping	none = female	none = female
Stance	not upright (except when I'm trying to position it for photos) Female-like	not upright = female-like
Feathers	uniform texture and color	uniform texture and color

Wings	had feather growth at a few days old	had feather growth at a few days old
Crest	mostly rounded = female-like	round = female
Streamers	Has longer feathers but only at bottom = male-like	none = female
size	bigger = male	Xsmall = female
"feel" / muscle	not meaty	not meaty

 

[kurby22]

The big one's gender has me guessing. Most traits point to female..... but its size and back of head are male-like.

The small runt actually had a wider comb (in proportion to its beak) but now looks very female.

	Big	Runt
Comb	narrow = female	narrow = female
Toe feathers	less = female	less = female
Chest bumping	none = female	none = female
Stance	not upright (except when I'm trying to position it for photos) Female-like	not upright = female-like
Feathers	uniform texture and color	uniform texture and color

Wings	had feather growth at a few days old	had feather growth at a few days old
Crest	mostly rounded = female-like	round = female
Streamers	Has longer feathers but only at bottom = male-like	none = female
size	bigger = male	Xsmall = female
"feel" / muscle	not meaty	not meaty

Sure seems like the bigger one is just maybe more normal sized! But, since they don't really mature till 6-9 months, it might surprise you soon with a more definitive look! I have a white silkie that is quite a bit bigger than my runt silkie from the same hatch and Betty White is quite a bit bigger than Fuzzbert and they're both girls as far as I can tell! So fingers crossed!

 

[myriams]

Girl or boy. 19 weeks old

 

[Faraday40]

Here are the same 2 Silkies after hatch. I think they were 3-4 days old in pic below. The smaller one is one day younger. They were both broody-raised. During the 1st week, I thought the size difference was that extra day. Then I thought perhaps the bigger one was male. (But it had a very narrow walnut comb)

The smaller one ate but didn't seem to grow. Feather growth was also delayed. I knew the size difference had to be more than age or gender. I pulled the silkies out daily for some extra time with the food bowl and also some protein treats.

Here they were at 6 weeks

8 weeks

12 weeks

So my bigger one clearly blossomed into a male by August. We found him a good home.
When I went back to visit near the end of August, he came running right up to me for cuddles. Such a sweetheart!

The smaller one looked female.

I'll admit we liked the boy chick more, but this one is docile and spoiled too.

Just yesterday while playing dress up, I noticed that her crest is changing. Today she/he turned 7 months old. Could those be streamers this late in the game???? No course, shiny hair on hackles like the 1st male, but the shape change of the crest concerns me.