8 weeks... what be the genders?

[Rhodebar Lover]

Samantha does look to be a pullet! She was throwing me for a loop for a while

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Samantha does look to be a pullet! She was throwing me for a loop for a while

Yes! Yes! So glad! I was super confused too!

 

[Chickpalooza]

Yes! Yes! So glad! I was super confused too!

Sam is a pullet I believe. None of those look like hackle or saddle feathers and as for the tail, my old EE hen had a larger tail too.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Sam is a pullet I believe. None of those look like hackle or saddle feathers and as for the tail, my old EE hen had a larger tail too.

Thank you. Male specific hackles and saddles don't grow in until about 12 weeks, however, and I don't think tail means anything at this age (but I'm sure there are exceptions for earlier). However, I am almost positive Sam is a pullet now! She is almost 12 weeks, and no signs of hackles/saddles yet. (and no signs of crowing, though I know that can be later)

 

[Chickpalooza]

Thank you. Male specific hackles and saddles don't grow in until about 12 weeks, however, and I don't think tail means anything at this age (but I'm sure there are exceptions for earlier). However, I am almost positive Sam is a pullet now! She is almost 12 weeks, and no signs of hackles/saddles yet. (and no signs of crowing, though I know that can be later)

Crowing can come from hens too when a hen fills the role of a rooster in an all hen flock. Hackle and saddle feathers in my experience are glossier in roosters than in hens. Roosters are also noticeable bigger starting earlier on and overall, usually you can just feel out whether it’s a hen or roo based off of behavior. In my experience, silkies are the hardest since they have very few dimorphic differences at a young age. However some chicks I hatched 8 weeks ago I could tell there were 2 roosters very soon since the comb was bigger and they were more boisterous than the hen chicks. Intuition is a very handy tool in sexing chicks and just spending time with them makes the difference in whether you can easily tell or not. And plus if your ever unsure you can get a feather sent to a lab.

 

[kurby22]

Oh no! Are you SURE?? Is there any chance she's a hen?? At all?

See I don’t see any saddle feathers that look narrow or pointed...I would say pullet...

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Crowing can come from hens too when a hen fills the role of a rooster in an all hen flock. Hackle and saddle feathers in my experience are glossier in roosters than in hens. Roosters are also noticeable bigger starting earlier on and overall, usually you can just feel out whether it’s a hen or roo based off of behavior. In my experience, silkies are the hardest since they have very few dimorphic differences at a young age. However some chicks I hatched 8 weeks ago I could tell there were 2 roosters very soon since the comb was bigger and they were more boisterous than the hen chicks. Intuition is a very handy tool in sexing chicks and just spending time with them makes the difference in whether you can easily tell or not. And plus if your ever unsure you can get a feather sent to a lab.

Hens can crow (I’ve had at least one crowing hen myself) but it’s very unlikely for pullets (hens under a year of age) to crow.

 

[Averyloveschickens]

See I don’t see any saddle feathers that look narrow or pointed...I would say pullet...

Lol I've posted in a few different places and people swear she's a rooster, and others say she's a hen, some say rooster, others say hen.. But i think the only way to tell is waiting to see if she lays an egg. I'm just going to be waiting. She'll be 18 weeks in 3 weeks, so the beginning of laying age

 

[Averyloveschickens]

Crowing can come from hens too when a hen fills the role of a rooster in an all hen flock. Hackle and saddle feathers in my experience are glossier in roosters than in hens. Roosters are also noticeable bigger starting earlier on and overall, usually you can just feel out whether it’s a hen or roo based off of behavior. In my experience, silkies are the hardest since they have very few dimorphic differences at a young age. However some chicks I hatched 8 weeks ago I could tell there were 2 roosters very soon since the comb was bigger and they were more boisterous than the hen chicks. Intuition is a very handy tool in sexing chicks and just spending time with them makes the difference in whether you can easily tell or not. And plus if your ever unsure you can get a feather sent to a lab.

You can send a feather to a lab??? How do you do that, where do you send it to and how much does it cost?!?

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

You can send a feather to a lab??? How do you do that, where do you send it to and how much does it cost?!?

I wouldn't waste the money. People often do it on Silkies which are difficult to sex and involve a lot of questioning. With your bird there isn't room for error It's 20 or so I believe