Just to be sure on color of Mr. Silkie Fancy Pants

[Sonoran Silkies]

Male partridges are laced only on the tail and hackles. I could not tell if that was the beginnings of streamers or a growing crest, but if I had to guess I would say the later based upon the photo. If they were coming out lower on the hackles rather than in the crest area I would agree. A profile photo would help here.

The plumage on the back looks like it may be penciled rather than solid coloured, which is another reason I think the bird looks feminine. A buff, even a poorly coloured one, does not have so much dark throughout the body. If the back feathers are solid coloured and not penciled, and if the bird is male it is possible that it will continue to darken into a red--I certainly wouldn't say that at this point, but reds do darken for many months--it can take a couple of years for them to come into their full colouring. And that certainly fits with non-laced hackles.

 

[moduckman]

He's a buff. They will do that some of the time. Every so often the birds will revert to their ancestors color or display some of the color. I once had Light Brown Leghorn bantams. One male matured with 70% white feathers. i had white birds. He just reverted from past grandparents I guess.

 

[WriterofWords]

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Trust me and the hens, he's a mister lol! He is quiet though, I've only ever heard him kind of crow twice.

 

[WriterofWords]

These are a couple of pics of him a few months ago before he started darkening. Just edited to say the end of October, I saw my son's classring so these top two aren't as old as I thought. He changed quick!

Even longer ago

I'll try and get a newer side view tomorrow, he's gotten some really pretty tail feathers I just noticed as he was running from me rather than going in the new pen tonight.

 

[LilPeeps]

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Male partridge birds should have lacing on the hackles, saddles, back, and covert tail feathers, not only on the hackles and saddles.

A "red" silkie is a dark buff and so therefore buffs can and do get that dark, even the poorly colored ones.

ETA: Seeing the before and after pics, it's more evident that he's a buff and he'll probably continue to get a bit darker.