Gender on these Blue, Black, and Splash Silkies?

[msiler]

Hello! This is part of our order of 11 chicks from Bobbi Porto back in March. Tomorrow they turn 16 weeks old! Any idea on if they are boys or girls? I have a feeling that we go unlucky and got mostly boys... but I will leave it to the experts to decide.

The poll is just for fun, which Silkie do you think has the most show potential? I think I know, but these are my first high-quality Silkies so we will see!
(We also got 4 whites, here is the link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/gender-on-these-white-silkies.1314204/ )

There are 3 blues, 2 Blacks, and 1 Splash.

#1: Blue Silkie - Lilac

#2: Blue Silkie - Charlotte

#3: Blue Silkie - Ariel

 

[msiler]

(Accidentally clicked Create thread... continuing on )

#4: Black Silkie - Juliet

#5: Black Silkie - Ruby

#6: Splash Silkie - Oreo

 

[cleoandtheflock]

everyones a pullet except for oreo

 

[Matilda Belle]

X 2

I wish I could get that lucky with silkies.

 

[msiler]

everyones a pullet except for oreo

X 2

I wish I could get that lucky with silkies.

Wow.. Really???? I sure hope so!!! I was thinking I MIGHT Have gotten lucky with the blues, because especially compared to the white they look very feminine. Oreo, I was sure was a rooster. The one that I am thinking might also be a boy is #4, Juliet, because he/she is bigger than #5, Ruby. But I really hope it is a girl!!

 

[sourland]

I am suspicious that both black birds may be cockerels, but silkies are difficult to gender ID from pictures as young birds.

 

[HuffleClaw]

Juliet and Oreo are both cockerels as well.

 

[msiler]

I am suspicious that both black birds may be cockerels, but silkies are difficult to gender ID from pictures as young birds.

I wasn't sure if it was too early or not... these two might fall under the category of "can't tell until they lay and egg or crow"! What clues you to the fact that they might be cockerels?

Juliet and Oreo are both cockerels as well.

What lets you know that Juliet is a boy?

 

[HuffleClaw]

Comb and tail is a direct sign that Juliet is a cockerel

 

[Fur-N-Fowl]

As @sourland also said, im having suspicions that both the black ones are developing cockerels (meaning you have 3 cockerels there).

However, I've never personally owned black Silkies but I was tempted a while back. After looking at them though, I thought they seemed the hardest to sex out of all the colours. Maybe just because I've never had experience with them but from what I've seen, the black ones take longer to show definite male features.

The one I'm least sure on is Ruby. He/she has a pullet looking body shape, smaller more rounded and dumpy looking tail. Do you have a better picture of his/her comb? Also, was the feathering on the back of the head/crest wet at all or is that harder streamer feathers?

As for showing quality on these three, it'll be difficult to tell until you are certain they are male or female. If male, you'll have to wait till their combs develop and their feathers too. Lots can change for a roo during this time.
As for if Ruby is a pullet, she seems to have very little hard feathering which is favourable. She has no feathers on the middle toe but that's still acceptable, they won't be disqualified for that but it will lower their chances of winning. Her black colouration seems pretty solid, however that can change over the next few months. Non-solid black Silkies wouldn't get very far. So far so good though!

As for your splash male, I don't think the splash is a recognised showing colour. At least where I live it's not, although I have seen some splash Silkies not get disqualified at shows but they didn't anything win either. I think people mainly entered them just as a bit of fun.

The only colours I believe are accepted for showing were I live are solids (white, black, blue, gold) and partridge. Things are changing all the time though and new colours will eventually be accepted no doubts

Edit: Oops, I missed the top of your post, the blue ones didn't load till afterwards!

As for those, from those images I'd say they are 3 pullets. Likewise with the blacks, I've never shown blue Silkies so I'm not familiar with what accepted on their colouring. I do believe they have to be completely solid Blue though which I think all of those three are?

Going off what I can see, Charlotte looks like the best pullet there. She seems to have a nicer more round crest and body shape than the others. However, it's difficult to tell from those images as to which is the 'best' quality.