Blue silkies

[rebeccaH86]

I just have some questions on how old silkie chicks need to be before sexing characteristics start showing I have never had silkies before and I sent my hubby for more pine bedding well the feed store had blue silkie chicks I told him go ahead get a couple lol he brought home 5! Ahh lol from everything I've read silkies are extremely hard to sex . Mine are only 2 weeks old so I know they are way to young but if more experienced silkie keepers could give some sex traits to look out for it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

Generally a few months good luck with your new babies!!!

 

[black_cat]

It is mostly comb, crest shape, and posture with silkies. Roosters will have 'streamers' coming out of their crests, and hens will have much neater hairdos. Roosters have more upright postures than hens. They also have bigger combs, and, of course, crow.

 

[rebeccaH86]

I'm hoping the odds will be in my favor of mostly pullets , so far they are all pretty much filling out at the same rate except one of the darker ones doesn't have the tail like the rest . Thank you all for the advice I'll definitely keep an eye open for those traits.

 

[rebeccaH86]

Another question is it possible for a silkie to have a single comb? One appears to be getting a single comb instead of a walnut .

 

[black_cat]

It's a common fault in hatchery chicks to have the wrong comb type. You can't show that one, but I'm assuming that if you got it from tractor supply, you weren't expecting to. Doesn't make it a bad chicken, just a chicken that doesn't conform to breed standard.

 

[rebeccaH86]

It's a common fault in hatchery chicks to have the wrong comb type. You can't show that one, but I'm assuming that if you got it from tractor supply, you weren't expecting to. Doesn't make it a bad chicken, just a chicken that doesn't conform to breed standard.

Ok good to know thank you , I'm not looking to show them just didn't know if it was possible. There still cute lil pomeranians of the chicken world lol.