How can you tell a silkies gender at 1 month or less?

[KauAnnie]

We are going to a local breeder soon to get silkies. We only want girls and the lady said they were around 2weeks to 1 month in age. Just to make sure we are getting girls, I want to know how to determined that. They are $10 a chick so I dont want to waste my money. We plan on getting 4.

 

[magicpigeon]

Trust me - leave it for another month or so, it's almost impossible to tell the apart at such a young age and if so, unreliably

 

[17roses]

Sorry, you just cant tell at that age.

 

[Kat'sChicks]

I've been raising silkies for 4 years now and I don't even attempt to sex them for 90 days. Even then I can get it wrong...they're odd little things (but I love them anyway!) Even my standard breeds I let mature about the same amount of time, I'd rather be 99% certain that I'm selling a pullet than have the new owner come back in a month wanting to trade for an actual egg layer instead of the "girl" that started to crow. I sell straight run too, and I make sure the buyer understands that they'll get boys AND girls. You're better off waiting or getting older pullets from someone for a little more money or finding someone who will hold them for you for at least another month. JMO of course.....

 

[KauAnnie]

Ohh shucks. I think that I am going to buy a few and house them for a while, hopefully most of them are girls. If not, I have to give them away...

 

[JodyJo]

my silkie, at 17 weeks, still not positive, but pretty sure it's a pullet...I have heard it takes almost to the time they crow or lay to tell!

 

[TinyChickenLady]

Quote:
That's what I've been told, too! I just got a shipment of 16 silkies (we lost 2) and when I tried asking about checking their genders, I was told by EVERYONE to wait to see which ones lay and which ones crow. Frustrating but fun at the same time

 

[mama24]

I have a 4 month old silkie that I'm still not totally convinced is a girl!

 

[KauAnnie]

Can't you figure out their gender by venting?

And if they were Cochin/silkie, would it be easier to tell?

 

[flowerchicks]

Quote:
This one looks like a cockerel to me...