At what age do SLW grow saddle feathers?

[HobbitChicken]

I guess this is the right place to post, anyway.

I have five 12 week old SLW that all have varying amounts of white, and some are redder than others but none appear to be developing combs or large wattles. I feather sexed them when I picked them up in hopes of choosing all pullets but this is my first go with SLWs and I'm not sure.

So about what age do I need to be expectant of saddle feathers -- if they're roos? My EEs were growing saddle feathers before they were eight weeks.

 

[Basskids08]

It would help if you posted pics but usually around 15-20 weeks you will start seeing some growth, that's my experience anyway. Mine are 15 weeks and have just very tiny wattle growth and no redness in the combs yet and are pullets!

 

[keesmom]

Can you post some pictures? At 12 weeks the cockerels should be easy to pick out.

 

[HobbitChicken]

It's hard to get pictures of them lol, they aren't very friendly. I got some photos but not of all of them.

There are two that look like this:






More white and they're a lot bigger than the others, but they're still really pale in comparison.

And three that are basically like this:



Not a whole lot of white and they're smaller, but redder.

So they're kind of the opposite of everything I've heard about what SLWs should look like as roos/pullets...

 

[Basskids08]

Your 3rd pic looks like it might be a cockerel, Wyandotte's mature fast, so it is sometimes hard to be positive on gender, but the others look like pullets IMO.

 

[Gwynevere]

Eh. From my experience showing silver laced wyandottes and raising them they mature slower then other breeds sometimes taking up to 18 months to be fully grown. Your second to last pic the bird on the left looks like maybe it could be a cockerel? If it helps here is my SLW pullet when she was about that age.

 

[Basskids08]

Iim not talking about size I'm talking about combs and wattles!

 

[subhanalah]

I believe I see sickle feathers on the second picture.

 

[Gwynevere]

Also the SLW rose combs just don't get very big even when they're adults,

This is my show quality SLW that I just got from a great breeder shes about 16 months and you can see she doesn't have that big of a comb. (for sale if anybody wants her ; ) $30)

 

[HobbitChicken]

That's good to hear lol! Are they a breed that can usually be feather sexed?