Just for fun...guess the sex of this grey silkie.

[shelleyb1969]

He is from a breeder who raises top quality show silkies. Everyone who's seen him says that he's grey. As far as genetics, his father is a grand champion grey, and his mother is dark grey. These pics aren't showing his true color, I guess.

Thanks for all the compliments about "him". I'm really rather excited to cross "him" with a white to see what will happen.

 

[Bex]

I say pullet.. But I suck at this.

 

[onthespot]

I say roo because of the spikey feathers already growing out of his topknot.

 

[SussexInSeattle]

I'm the last person who should try a guess but he seems to just stand there like a man and I also thought what the last person said, seems like he has quite a crown going on there. Could you check his feet for spurs or is he too young to have those yet, or does that breed not get them?

 

[gotchooks?]

When I was asking about the sex of my Silkie, someone mentioned "the body shape resembled a pullet"...and just by comparing pics, yours looks remarkably like mine. This is my girl at 8 weeks.

I'm guessing pullet.

With all the different answers, it's a good thing you'll be happy with either. Your silkie is adorable and I love the color!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

well everyones guessing at this point.... as i've already said, the only way to truly tell is to give them time to grow.

and a note on the spikey feathers in the top knot.... it looks like they are new feathers, and appear spikey because of the remaining "wax" coating. I bet if Shelley would take those and rolled them gently between her fingers to break the wax coating, and then gently combed through them with a flea comb, her top knot would have a completely different appearance and she'd resemble more of a pullet.

 

[shelleyb1969]

Quote:

Thanks for the grooming tips, poulets! I've never groomed chickens before, just horses.

It's a rainy day here today, so maybe that'll be my project for this blue Monday...groom my silkies.

 

[miss_jayne]

Quote:

Thanks for the grooming tips, poulets! I've never groomed chickens before, just horses.

It's a rainy day here today, so maybe that'll be my project for this blue Monday...groom my silkies.

your project should be 'bring all cute chicks to Rhandi-Jayne's house immediately'!!!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

No problem!

Hold the bird in your lap and pinch the top knot fingers between your index finger and your thumb, and gently roll back and forth, taking care not to pull the feathers out. After a little while the wax coating will start to break up. Then take a flea comb with really close teeth, and gently comb through the top knot. INSTANT FLUFF!

You can also brush her body with a wire brush. They are often called "slicker" brushes that are used to "slick" fly-away hairs on long coated dogs. (NOT a wire brush that you clean the BBQ pit with). The wire helps with instant fluff, as well as "shredding" which is what you want in the hard feathers in the tail, if your bird has any.

And if you REALLY want to get into the grooming.... check out my bathing a silkie thread!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=99105

 

[shelleyb1969]

Great info, Poulets...thanks! Will you be my online silkie mentor...I really need one...seriously!

I'm going to check out your other thread as well. I'm not sure if I'll be bathing any this winter, but I'm all for learning all I can about chickens!