6 month Silkie pullet please confirm?

[black_cat]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH

 

[PioneerChicks]

I only have bearded silkies, so the non-bearded is a little confusing for me, but I would guess girl. Six months and no crows or streamers is a giveaway for me. Sexing Silkies

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

I only have bearded silkies, so the non-bearded is a little confusing for me, but I would guess girl. Six months and no crows or streamers is a giveaway for me. Sexing Silkies

I ended up with a few bearded in the same hatch so Boof's wattles look huge compared to them. And mother hen has clean face but hardly any wattles. Dunno how I ended up with a few bearded

 

[LynnaePB]

I ended up with a few bearded in the same hatch so Boof's wattles look huge compared to them. And mother hen has clean face but hardly any wattles. Dunno how I ended up with a few bearded

Bearded genes are partially dominant (one copy will give a partial beard, two copies a full beard). If mom was non bearded and dad was partially bearded (sometimes looks almost like a full beard) than the offspring could be both partially bearded and non bearded.

As far as wattles I'm guessing you are dealing with a walnut comb on the mother (which is pea x rose) and a modified rose on the father (they can look very similar). In bearded silkies the beard restricts wattle growth whether they have a walnut or a modified rose comb. In non bearded the pea portion of the walnut comb restricts wattle growth. If they have a modified rose comb and no beard wattle growth will not be restricted and the wattles in both sexes will be larger than on a bearded or partially bearded bird.

If your girls female siblings have beards it makes a lot of sense that she has wattles and they don't have large ones being as she is non bearded. Her comb is what was confusing me more than the wattles, but like I said I've had silkie females with large combs and the rest is looking very feminine.

There is an interesting article you can download on this page on the two comb types and how they affect wattles if you'd like to know more. It's the one titled "What Wattles"

https://www.chickencolours.com/index.php/articles/

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Bearded genes are partially dominant (one copy will give a partial beard, two copies a full beard). If mom was non bearded and dad was partially bearded (sometimes looks almost like a full beard) than the offspring could be both partially bearded and non bearded.

As far as wattles I'm guessing you are dealing with a walnut comb on the mother (which is pea x rose) and a modified rose on the father (they can look very similar). In bearded silkies the beard restricts wattle growth whether they have a walnut or a modified rose comb. In non bearded the pea portion of the walnut comb restricts wattle growth. If they have a modified rose comb and no beard wattle growth will not be restricted and the wattles in both sexes will be larger than on a bearded or partially bearded bird.

If your girls female siblings have beards it makes a lot of sense that she has wattles and they don't have large ones being as she is non bearded. Her comb is what was confusing me more than the wattles, but like I said I've had silkie females with large combs and the rest is looking very feminine.

There is an interesting article you can download on this page on the two comb types and how they affect wattles if you'd like to know more. It's the one titled "What Wattles"

https://www.chickencolours.com/index.php/articles/

Wow thanks for that info. Its quite interesting reading up on genes, and also a little confusing!

 

[LynnaePB]

Wow thanks for that info. Its quite interesting reading up on genes, and also a little confusing!

You're welcome.

Yeah genetics can be quite confusing when you start learning about them for sure! I've only scratched the surface myself and still don't understand a lot.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

You're welcome.

Yeah genetics can be quite confusing when you start learning about them for sure! I've only scratched the surface myself and still don't understand a lot.

Here's a pic of Roo, father of Boof.. So his comb is rose? not a good quality? And he doesn't look bearded and my hen isn't bearded either...


Mother Hen, Chickaletta..

And an earlier pic of her on left side) and some if her chicks...

 

[LynnaePB]

Wow Roo has an impressively large comb! Seeing him I'm frankly not surprised about the larger sized comb on Boof. She probably inherited some genes from him that boost the comb size. After seeing the father I feel a lot better saying she is looking like a pullet.

At first glance both parents do look non bearded. Looking closer I think I see some small muffs (puffy cheeks) on Roo so he is probably the one carrying one copy of the bearded gene making him partially bearded. Given that some of the offspring have beards and some don't this would make sense.

I do think he must have a modified rose comb of some sort given how large his wattles are. The comb isn't matching the standard well with the size and shape but if you aren't breeding to show that isn't something I would worry too much about. I've got a cockerel that has a somewhat similar comb although smaller so it must not be that uncommon in silkies.

I think Roo is just beautiful, Chickaletta and her chicks are lovely too!

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Wow Roo has an impressively large comb! Seeing him I'm frankly not surprised about the larger sized comb on Boof. She probably inherited some genes from him that boost the comb size. After seeing the father I feel a lot better saying she is looking like a pullet.

At first glance both parents do look non bearded. Looking closer I think I see some small muffs (puffy cheeks) on Roo so he is probably the one carrying one copy of the bearded gene making him partially bearded. Given that some of the offspring have beards and some don't this would make sense.

I do think he must have a modified rose comb of some sort given how large his wattles are. The comb isn't matching the standard well with the size and shape but if you aren't breeding to show that isn't something I would worry too much about. I've got a cockerel that has a somewhat similar comb although smaller so it must not be that uncommon in silkies.

I think Roo is just beautiful, Chickaletta and her chicks are lovely too!

Another of the 6 month old chicks, Ickle, I thought is a pullet but always seems to be standing more upright with neck stretched out... Another questionable pullet like Boof? See pics... She's the smallest of them all and can just about fly! (I have caught her over the fence into veggies) She's very quick too! No crow or egg though. Probably need better pics.

 

[LynnaePB]

Another of the 6 month old chicks, Ickle, I thought is a pullet but always seems to be standing more upright with neck stretched out... Another questionable pullet like Boof? See pics... She's the smallest of them all and can just about fly! (I have caught her over the fence into veggies) She's very quick too! No crow or egg though. Probably need better pics.
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Ickle is looking like a pullet to me. She is very cute!