Partridge Silkies - Nothing else

[MNickoloff]

Hi there, I'm new to chickens this spring. I let my kids pick a chick each from the straight run bin, and of course they both picked silkies because the chicks are so tiny. My son picked a partridge silkie and I'm trying to figure out if it is a boy or a girl. It has the blue patches on its cheeks. Do only pullets have those?

 

[ChickNmamma]

Hi there, I'm new to chickens this spring. I let my kids pick a chick each from the straight run bin, and of course they both picked silkies because the chicks are so tiny. My son picked a partridge silkie and I'm trying to figure out if it is a boy or a girl. It has the blue patches on its cheeks. Do only pullets have those?

Um... Silkies are one of the hardest breeds to tell if you have a boy or a girl. Some go for 8-10 months before you figure them out. Blue patches do not indicate anything, unfortunately. Laying an egg is the only true indicator...

Yes, I picked out the Silkie too because it was the cutest one.. somehow I seem to have acquired a few more - I admire your children's tastes...

Oh, and Welcome to BYC!

Lots of good information on lots of birds here!

If you want to post a picture of the cutie when you have enough posts under your belt - we would all like to ooh and awwww over it...

 

[MNickoloff]

Yeah, I was just wondering, trying to go off the pictures in the catalog.

I have no idea what I'm doing. First I thought it was a rooster because it was acting kind of like one, then I read pullets will do that when establishing the pecking order. I have a lot to learn yet. I'm hoping its a pullet. It's so cute, and if it isn't that means we managed to pick out 5 roosters out of the 6 chicks we chose from the bin. Dang it!

 

[CarolinaHen]

If you chose the most outgoing, brightest colored, best personality chicks in the bin.......... you probably chose all boys

 

[ChickNmamma]

Yeah, I was just wondering, trying to go off the pictures in the catalog.

I have no idea what I'm doing. First I thought it was a rooster because it was acting kind of like one, then I read pullets will do that when establishing the pecking order. I have a lot to learn yet. I'm hoping its a pullet. It's so cute, and if it isn't that means we managed to pick out 5 roosters out of the 6 chicks we chose from the bin. Dang it!

Oh dear. Well at least with the Partridge coloring the differences will show up in their feathering when they get older. The boys get more red in their necks and wings, the girls stay all over one goldish color with black barring (or gray if they are "blue").

And yes, I agree with Carolina Hen, if you chose the most outgoing chicks from the bin - chances are very high those are boys. Next time look for the quiet ones in the corners.. chances are much better for those being girls..

 

[MNickoloff]

Oh dear. Well at least with the Partridge coloring the differences will show up in their feathering when they get older. The boys get more red in their necks and wings, the girls stay all over one goldish color with black barring (or gray if they are "blue").

And yes, I agree with Carolina Hen, if you chose the most outgoing chicks from the bin - chances are very high those are boys. Next time look for the quiet ones in the corners.. chances are much better for those being girls..

I wish I'd known all this before. I doubt my husband will ever let me pick chicks out of the bin again.

This is definitely what happened with the silkies. The kids picked out "funny" ones. Oh well, I've accomplished my main goal by having chickens, to get my timid (scared really, my son is the worst) children to be more comfortable around animals. And it has worked. They are still afraid of big dogs, but I think I can solve that problem by getting them a dog when we move further out into the country. Who knew that a little partridge silky would help my son so much. I hope it's just an active pullet, my son LOVES it. He walks around saying "I love my chick" randomly (my son is 5).

 

[ChickNmamma]

Quote: Awww.. I love my Silkies too!

Even if it is a boy they are usually very laid back. They may go through a slight change right about the time hormones kick in, but they usually go back to being mellow again.

 

[Momma 2 silkies]

Could this be a blue partridge? I have never had a partridge hatch this color, so I thought I would ask you all.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Could this be a blue partridge? I have never had a partridge hatch this color, so I thought I would ask you all.

It looks like a blue, but I don't see the signature Partridge markings. What were its parents?

I have a bunch that look very close to that, they are out of a Black/Red Partridge rooster and a Blue hen. Its F1 for creating Blue Partridge - but its not there yet! I am only keeping the ones with "red leakage".

 

[miquwid]

I wait till my breeder has 6month old sexed silkies before I buy, can be a bit more frustrating with handling but patients gets it done. Of course my son picked the meanest craziest pullet available she will attack my young tots omg. and older tots hate her cuz she so mean. My older BR and Partridge silkie get along with her but unfortunately I have to keep my BR with all the babies and newbies because she is so good with everyone while still establishing pecking order She top hen!