At what age did you know if you had

[mrsgibber]

a roo or a hen SILKIE?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Oldest? My roo, or maybe hen? is about 20 months old

I'm sure he's a roo, but I have had two judges and one of the best breeders tell me they are sure he is a girl. He doesn't lay, & he does crow.

Other than that, Daphne became Daffid at about 10 months--he pretty much bloomed from pullet looking to cockerel looking & crowing almost overnight. Lil'Bit was 13 months old before she laid an egg. I was thinking/hoping pullet, but not certain--no truly defined characteristics. I showed Cirrus as a young pullet in September and a year and a couple of weeks later he had bloomed into a Champion Bantam cock!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Oh, and the youngest was a 4 month old PQ silkie who took over and brooded a newly hatched chick, then once he was raised went broody on other girls' eggs. After those babies were raised Qurious finally laid her own first egg.

 

[Catalina]

Oh, this is bad! People keep asking me when I'll know if my chicks are girls or boys and I thought I might know by 6-8 months. 20 months!?!?!?

 

[mrsgibber]

My white silkie is about 4 1/2 weeks and honestly, I think I'd keep it even if it is a boy cause we just love "it". I just hope if it is a roo that the crowing isn't too loud or my neighbors are gonna kill me.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Most of the time I know MUCH sooner

That one is pretty unusual. I should take a photo

How old are they, and can you post photos? Some varieties are easier to tell at a younger age than others. Partridge, for example is usually a variety that you can tell pretty early. Of course my mystery bird is a blue partridge.

But I have a pen full of 3 1/2 month old chicks and I can make a pretty good guess on many of them.

 

[mrsgibber]

My boy/girl is a 4 1/2 week old white silkie. No sign of a comb on top but I know that doesn't really mean much at this age. I figured I would know by the time it is 4 months or so...or at least I'm hoping.