Gender help. Mostly frizzled bantam breeds.

[Oceanbyrd]

Not everybody was cooperating with picture day, lol. I tried my best to get side and front standing photos but some of the chicks were having none of that. I’ll tell you what I know of the breeds as most, I found out, are cross-breeds. Hopefully what info I have will help with sexing.

All are bantams and all were born between the 13th and 16th of August. Here we go:

1. This chick is a Cochin (may not be pure-bred) that I’m fairly sure is a roo:

“Let me go, human.”

“I’m leaving town.”

2. This chick is a Silkie mixed with unknown breed (has grayish black feet and 5 toes). Those are feathers not fuzz on top:

“I’m gorgeous and I know it.”

“I so want to be with everyone else”

3. This is a Silkie/Cochin cross. I have no gender idea:

“No, I will not face forward.”

“This is my best side.”

4. Another Cochin that may or may not be pure-bred:

“It looks like a long way down.”

“Why do I have to stand here?”

5. Probably a Cochin mix with the feathering. I’m fairly certain this one is also a roo:

“Human, let me go!”

“I’m outta here!”

6. My Showgirl (Silkie/bantam Turken cross). Unfortunately it lost the genetic lottery and got the regular feathers and not the silkied ones. So silly and cute:

“Hello human”

“I’ll be good and stand here looking ridiculous.”

7. Another Cochin. Purebred? Maybe.

“Tell me again why we are doing this?”

“Not a good answer. I’m gone.”

8. Yet another Cochin cross?

“I’m feeling kinda nervous”

“Seriously. Are we done yet?”

9. Definitely a Silkie/Cochin cross:

“I ain’t posing, I ain’t sitting.”

“See ya.”

10. Last one. Another definite Silkie/Cochin cross. I’m fairly certain it’s male as comb and wattles are small but red:

“What? I’m having a bad hair day!”

“I am contemplating mischief.”

 

[Seaecho]

The first one looks like it might possibly be a cockerel, but it's only a few weeks old. I see no wattles, but those can develop at any time. And yes, #5 is more than likely a cockerel. The Silkie mixes are too difficult to sex at this age, since they have the black skin, and as you probably know, Silkies and Silkie crosses are hard to sex anyway. # 7 I don't believe is purebred Cochin, as they don't have that tuft of feathers on the head. I would guess it to be a Silkie cross. You'll have to wait a few weeks to get a better guess on the sexes except for the one pretty obvious cockerel.

 

[Desari]

The first one looks like it might possibly be a cockerel, but it's only a few weeks old. I see no wattles, but those can develop at any time. And yes, #5 is more than likely a cockerel. The Silkie mixes are too difficult to sex at this age, since they have the black skin, and as you probably know, Silkies and Silkie crosses are hard to sex anyway. # 7 I don't believe is purebred Cochin, as they don't have that tuft of feathers on the head. I would guess it to be a Silkie cross. You'll have to wait a few weeks to get a better guess on the sexes except for the one pretty obvious cockerel.

 

[Desari]

Sexing silkies is done by feathers. I have purebred silkies and I have mixed breed silkies and the feathers doesn't change. Sexing by the feathers is the first five feathers are longer then the rest of the feathers on their wing this is a hen if the feathers are all the same length or curved this is a roo.
On other breeds of chickens it is backwards from the silkies . so the hens would have rounded or curved feathers and the Roos would have the first five feathers longer than the rest of the wing feathers.

 

[Oceanbyrd]

Ugh. I guess I’m impatient, LOL. I’ll wait another week or two and post updated pictures. I live in the city and have to rehome or cull the males. I start worrying as soon as they hatch how many cockerel’s I have to deal with and wishing I could keep at least one. For me, that is one of the more stressful aspects of chickens, even if I enjoy the hatching process and having little peepers around.