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

Discussion in 'What Breed Or Gender is This?' started by KauAnnie, Jul 31, 2011.

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  1. Jul 31, 2011 #1
    KauAnnie

    KauAnnie Chirping

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    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.
     

  4. Jul 31, 2011 #2
    magicpigeon

    magicpigeon Songster

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    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 [​IMG]
     
  6. Jul 31, 2011 #3
    17roses

    17roses Songster

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    Sorry, you just cant tell at that age.
     
  8. Jul 31, 2011 #4
    Kat'sChicks

    Kat'sChicks Chirping

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    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.....
     
  10. Aug 1, 2011 #5
    KauAnnie

    KauAnnie Chirping

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    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...
     
  12. Aug 1, 2011 #6
    JodyJo

    JodyJo Songster

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    [​IMG]

    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!
     
  14. Aug 1, 2011 #7
    TinyChickenLady

    TinyChickenLady Songster

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    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 [​IMG]
     

  17. Aug 1, 2011 #8
    mama24

    mama24 Songster

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    I have a 4 month old silkie that I'm still not totally convinced is a girl!
     
  19. Aug 1, 2011 #9
    KauAnnie

    KauAnnie Chirping

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    Can't you figure out their gender by venting?

    And if they were Cochin/silkie, would it be easier to tell?
     
  21. Aug 1, 2011 #10
    flowerchicks

    flowerchicks Songster

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    Quote:This one looks like a cockerel to me... [​IMG]
     
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