Gender on these Blue, Black, and Splash Silkies?

[msiler]

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.

Thank you for typing all that out! I am very happy that it seems like I have 3 Blue girls... so lucky!
Yes, Ruby's crest was slightly wet for some reason! It is all gone now though, so I will take more photos, and also some photos of her/his comb. In comparison to Juliet, Ruby Definitley seems more female, but he/she could just be developing slower also.
I am out of town until next Tuesday, but I will try to take photos then. By then, they will be 18 weeks old so maybe some new features will come out!
I didn't know splash wasn't a showable color! I suppose then that it is a good thing he isn't top quality.
Do you have a preferred source of information for judging silkies? A book or website?
Thanks again!

 

[Fur-N-Fowl]

Thank you for typing all that out! I am very happy that it seems like I have 3 Blue girls... so lucky!
Yes, Ruby's crest was slightly wet for some reason! It is all gone now though, so I will take more photos, and also some photos of her/his comb. In comparison to Juliet, Ruby Definitley seems more female, but he/she could just be developing slower also.
I am out of town until next Tuesday, but I will try to take photos then. By then, they will be 18 weeks old so maybe some new features will come out!
I didn't know splash wasn't a showable color! I suppose then that it is a good thing he isn't top quality.
Do you have a preferred source of information for judging silkies? A book or website?
Thanks again!

No problem!

Indeed you are lucky, they're super pretty birds!

Sure that's alright, the older the better with Silkies. Gives them more time to develop a bit.

As for the splash, it may be accepted where you live. I think it's a colour that bordering being accepted or not accepted. If you plan on going to a show or know of anyone else that breeds Silkies for showing, maybe ask them and see if they have had any success with their splash ones. They're more commonly kept as pets here so the splash ones tend to be poor quality with bright red red combs.

I have a couple of chicken breed books but the most reasonable one I've found is this one:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bantams-Mi...88&hvtargid=pla-760849002438&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

However, it's the UK standards that are in it. It's not overly detailed like some standard books are but it will help determine if your birds have any potential at all. It gives you info on faults you should avoid too as well as some photos of good quality examples.

It's very difficult to find websites that contain correct and useful breed standards. This is mainly due to them being strongly protected and I believe their words are copyrighted so not just anyone can post them. This is to protect the writers so that they still make profit from them rather than people just getting the information for free online.

At least I think so anyways! The books can be costly depending on which you get but they're definitely worth it if you plan on showing more than just once.

 

[msiler]

In case anyone was wondering, so they can judge their own birds...
All three blues turned out to be girls!
Juliet turned out to be a boy! (Renamed Wilbur, his first babies are on the way!)
Ruby turned out to be the prettiest little hen!
And we all know, Oreo is a boy!