BIG silkie comb, this has to be a boy… right?!

[silkiemama002]

Now I KNOW you can’t tell silkie gender this early, but surely the comb on this eight week old has to be a total giveaway?!

It seems to look bigger in photos but it’s pretty pronounced nonetheless… the crest seems round and the comb isn’t longer than the beak, but its still screaming roo at me

Pic next to another born on the same day to compare combs!

 

[LaceyJune]

I say girl, the comb is fairly small and her crest is pretty level.
With sikies the cockerals always have crests that are higher in the back while pullets has a rounded crest.

 

[silkiemama002]

Interesting! I haven’t heard the raised at the back bit before…

I just thought this comb is bloody big Maybe because I am comparing to the others… it’s my first time with silkies

Here’s a maybe better photo of the crest… it seems very even and round to me

 

[Egg Snatcher]

I’d watch it. I had a Silkie cockerel with a flat comb for the longest time and thought it was a hen until it crowed.

 

[silkiemama002]

I’d watch it. I had a Silkie cockerel with a flat comb for the longest time and thought it was a hen until it crowed.

Classic silkie antics LOL

Well... I have just ordered some DNA testing, so I will be back to update within the next week! Going to try and get it sent off today... if I am brave enough to collect the samples Otherwise it will be done this evening when someone else can help.

 

[NatJ]

Now I KNOW you can’t tell silkie gender this early, but surely the comb on this eight week old has to be a total giveaway?!...
Pic next to another born on the same day to compare combs!

I would guess the big comb is a rose comb, and the other comb is a walnut comb (genetically rose + pea comb).

Adding the pea comb gene will usually make the comb smaller.

If they do have different comb types, then comparing sizes will be no use for sexing them.

I don't have a guess on male vs. female for either chick.

 

[silkiemama002]

I would guess the big comb is a rose comb, and the other comb is a walnut comb (genetically rose + pea comb).

Adding the pea comb gene will usually make the comb smaller.

If they do have different comb types, then comparing sizes will be no use for sexing them.

I don't have a guess on male vs. female for either chick.

This is really interesting! I have done a LOT of research but I guess I didn’t go enough into types of combs

The DNA samples were sent off today around lunchtime (managed it LOL) It’s next day delivery to our neighbouring state, and I paid for the express 2 day turn around… so hoping for some results by Friday!

I’ll update when I get the answer

 

[NatJ]

This is really interesting! I have done a LOT of research but I guess I didn’t go enough into types of combs

Some years ago, I got fascinated by comb types, especially pea combs, so I did a bunch of research. I still remember about half of it

Two copies of the pea comb gene will make the comb smaller. That tends to be obvious in Easter Egger crosses that have the pea comb gene: the ones with just one pea comb gene have a bigger comb, the ones with two pea comb genes have a smaller comb. But even one pea comb gene seems to make the comb a bit smaller than no pea comb gene. The texture of the comb also seems to change, being bumpier without pea comb or smoother with pea comb. Those are generalizations, and some chickens will be exceptions, but that's why I think your one has a rose comb (bigger and covered with little bumpies) and the other has walnut (pea + rose, smaller and smoother).

Silkies are supposed to have a walnut comb, although I've seen discussions about whether that really means pea + rose (the way a geneticist would read it), or whether it really has nothing to do with the genes and just means the comb is supposed to look like a walnut (similar to "strawberry" and "cushion" combs: a geneticist calls them both walnut combs but breed standards don't use that term.) Some kinds of rose comb can look vaguely like an actual walnut when the bird is grown up.

 

[silkiemama002]

Some years ago, I got fascinated by comb types, especially pea combs, so I did a bunch of research. I still remember about half of it

Two copies of the pea comb gene will make the comb smaller. That tends to be obvious in Easter Egger crosses that have the pea comb gene: the ones with just one pea comb gene have a bigger comb, the ones with two pea comb genes have a smaller comb. But even one pea comb gene seems to make the comb a bit smaller than no pea comb gene. The texture of the comb also seems to change, being bumpier without pea comb or smoother with pea comb. Those are generalizations, and some chickens will be exceptions, but that's why I think your one has a rose comb (bigger and covered with little bumpies) and the other has walnut (pea + rose, smaller and smoother).

Silkies are supposed to have a walnut comb, although I've seen discussions about whether that really means pea + rose (the way a geneticist would read it), or whether it really has nothing to do with the genes and just means the comb is supposed to look like a walnut (similar to "strawberry" and "cushion" combs: a geneticist calls them both walnut combs but breed standards don't use that term.) Some kinds of rose comb can look vaguely like an actual walnut when the bird is grown up.

Oh wow. I love how you’re soaked all this up and remembered it all You sound like me with the research!! Ha ha

The breeder I bought the eggs from said they were purebred silkies. So would that mean that this doesn’t apply or can it still? She was excellent and had lots of pictures of her flock…

Thanks for all your insights and taking the time to reply! Always great to learn new chicken things

 

[NatJ]

The breeder I bought the eggs from said they were purebred silkies. So would that mean that this doesn’t apply or can it still? She was excellent and had lots of pictures of her flock…

They probably are purebred Silkies.

If we assume that Silkies are supposed to have the kind of "walnut comb" that requires both the rose comb and the pea comb gene: theoretically, a purebred Silkie would have two rose comb genes and two pea comb genes. In a flock of Silkies like that, every chick would inherit rose comb and pea comb from both parents, and no other comb types would ever appear.

But in practice, it is easy enough to have a bird that has just one rose comb gene and just one pea comb gene, and looks similar enough that it isn't noticed. Or it's got two rose and one pea, or one rose and two peas. But if someone breeds such birds, eventually chicks will start appearing with no pea comb gene, or no rose comb gene, or sometimes with single comb (no rose and no pea.)

That is all assuming that Silkies should have those genes. But the standard for the Silkie breed does not actually state "must have these comb genes." It just talks about how the comb is supposed to look. Some Silkies may have the correct appearance without having the same genes. But if they look right, and they reliably produce offspring like themselves, they should certainly be considered purebred.