anyone good at sexing /ageing silkies???

[Morag]

This is my big silkie, he's 25 weeks old and hatched from some mixed eggs, he was the only silkie out of 6 chickens that hatched. I decided to hatch some more to keep him company the little ones are now 4 weeks old.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I'm voting for 3 girls, all non-bearded (which I happen to like, even though I breed bearded)...cute as they can be...probably 3-4 months.

 

[daproper]

You've got two black silkies and one partridge. I'm sure that the 1st and 3rd are hens but it's possible the middle is a roo. You really won't be able to tell for a little bit because silkies are VERY hard to tell until they are laying age (about 6 mths old). Watch their crowns and if there is a tint of red it's a roo. We've got a black that I swore was a hen and then it crowed. On closer look it did have red tinge in the crown. They are about 4 months old but with the cold weather coming on (we live in Michigan, USA) they will not start laying until spring. Silkie eggs are smaller than regular eggs but they are tasty. They love scraps - lots of veggies and most fruits (not citrus for some reason). You want to make sure they are getting some sort of calcium, without it they their shells won't develop. Ours eat crumble feed not pellets.

Good luck. Silkies are one of my daughters favorite breeds. They are very friendly and great brooders, if you decide to breed.

Denise

 

[akcountrygrrl]

Where is everyone seeing 2 blacks and a partridge???? The OP posted pics of 3 blacks. Someone else posted the pic with 2 blacks and a partridge.

On the OP's birds, I don't think they're even quite 4 months yet. I still see, what looks to be, baby fluff around Pootle's face. As to sex, I think Posy is a girl and Perkin is a boy but have no clue on Pootle. Very cute fuzzballs though.

 

[helenmar]

Oh crickey!To be honest I love them all so I dont care what sex they are but what I am concerned about are the implications of having a Roo.Now please forgive me for being very uninformed here but I am very new to this and quite frankly need all the advice I can get.As far as I understand-having a roo means basically he will.......
A-crow to varying degrees of loudness(i have read silkie roos are quieter but Im sure there are lots out there who prove this wrong??)
B- fertilise the ladies leading to fertile eggs which can still be eaten but if incubated will hatch.
How am i doing so far??
C- Could encourage a lynch mob of neighbours to come round to murder me over noise????
Now i am hoping my neighbours will adore this country sound but if they do not I suppose I will have to check local laws to see how i stand or rehome Perkin?There is no way my little man could be dinner now I know him!!!Obviously I will wait a long time to make sure he is definately of the male persuasion before acting,but a huge thank you to all who respond to my questions-it means a lot!
He has to be honest grown bigger than the other 2,seems to have a bigger bit of wattle? above his beak and is developing wattles below his beak quicker than the others.I will thoroughly inspect for redness today and get some more up to date photos done, and on here.It all a huge learing curve ,but a really enjoyable one.Another thing I was previously worried about was the size of food they can eat. At present they have chick crumbs but i also got them some small grower pellets which they love and wolf down.I also give them scraps and am amazed at what they like and the volume and size of the things they are managing to eat.No wonder chickens are survivors.They truly are amazing creatures!Pootle has a penchant for trifle??? and they all fight over baked beans and peas!(Thats green peas, not as we would say here- kidney beans).My fussy cat also leaves them cat food which they adore!Huge thank you again for all comments and advice-all always VERY WELCOME!!!Thank you Helen x

 

[helenmar]

PS What does OP stand for????Please??

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

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