Okay Silkie people... what exactly am I looking for?

[iluvmychicks]

The first picture definite girl.

The rest, definite boy. That comb is very rooish.

Very nice buffs!


Here are a few things to look for when sexing them

Girls:
Rounder bodies
Shorter legs
Small comb almost non-exsistant
Usually larger crested

Boys:
Longer legs--wider stance
Smaller crested w/streamers coming off the back of the crest
Larger combs
Males will get a but aggressive when they figure out they're boys esp. with other males.
And of course, crowing.....lol



Shari

 

[Southernbelle]

I usually sex Silkies based largely on their crests. I agree that one in center back is a girl and the one to the right of her in back looks girly, too, but I can't see her really well. She has that rounded poofy crest with a rounded poofy tail. That last picture looks especially boyish with the harder feathers in the tail, the messy, upswept hair-do, and the stink-eye he's giving you!

They are BEAUTIFUL, City Girl!

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Yes, the one in the first picture with the globular crest is a pullet. The ones in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th pictures look like cockerels. You should take some seperate pictures of each bird and post them, then we would probably be able to tell. With mine, I can usually tell around 12 weeks old what they are and be sure around 5ish months of age.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Thanks for the help, y'all!

Just to clarify, the three bottom pictures are all of the same boy. He's a LOT more inquisitive than the others and easier to get pictures of outside of the big mass that usually is the rest of them. He also has always just looked different to me. He is taller than most of the others and all around bigger. I have had my suspicions about him for a while. I just needed knowledgeable confirmation.

If the weather cooperates one day, I'll get individual pictures. That day was feezing cold and gloomy. I gave up pretty early in the game. Plus, they were all cold too and were hunkered down into little balls of fluff (the other reason I got a lot of that boy- he's nosy and active!). It has been snowing or raining ever since. Well, actually... it has been snowing, raining or freezing for the last month. Grrr!

I was just hoping for some guidance on what to start looking for. These are my first really high quality silkies and they are miles away different from my hatchery birds.
Thanks again for the help!

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I know what you mean, I cant wait till it starts to get warmer.

They do look great though.

 

[Funky Feathers]

In the first pic I see 2 girls. The other 3 pics are all boys. I'm 90% sure on that. But yes, they are VERY hard to sex.

 

[Chickenfur]

Quote:
yeah, who's that other girl in the first pic?

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

There are 6 of them total. I just didn't get very good pictures this time. I picked the best shots I had to show the two types I'm seeing. I'll post more once the weather cooperates so you can see everybody.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Okay. Finally I have more pictures. See what you think. I think I have three and three.

The potential girls-
Girl A-

Girl B-

Girl C (look at the one standing on the ground. Girls A and B are standing on the blue thingie.)

The potential boys-

Boy A-

Boy B-

Boy C-

Thoughts? Did I guess right? I'm pretty sure about all but Girl C. That one is teetering on the line. She's more rounded than the possible roos and is smaller. But she's bigger than the other two possible girls.

 

[lauralou]

OMG They are beautiful! You know I'm no expert, but I totally see the difference between the two sets. The stance, the length of the necks...

I wish I could help you with possible Girl C. She does seem somewhat in between.







By the way, what is that green stuff in the background?