Partridge Silkies - Nothing else

[Hinotori]

Too little for anything like fruit. They must have grit available to help digest anything other than crumbles. I always have chick sized grit in with the broodies. I offer the broodies with chicks scratch at about 2 weeks. I don't give them much or very often.

Soak some of their feed in warm water and give it as a treat. Mine have always loved that, even as adults. No concerns at all with that. Just remove and toss any they don't eat so it doesn't mold.

 

[Lhubbard]

Quote:

how do you know at that young of an age that its a pullet? the coloring I'm assuming?

Yes by the coloring.

Any idea on these two babies based on coloring?

 

[Lhubbard]

Quote:

how do you know at that young of an age that its a pullet? the coloring I'm assuming?

Yes by the coloring.

 

[Hinotori]

Too young. Can start guessing sometime around 8 weeks. Males and females start feathering in different colors around then with the juvenile feathers.

 

[TCCL]

Is it possible to determine is a partridge silkie is a hen or rooster by the coloring?

 

[Hinotori]

Not until they are a few months old

 

[Fur-N-Fowl]

I'm glad I found this thread!

I've hatched multiple partridge silkies but I'm wanting to decide on another to keep as a growout chick.

Some have a really nice darker body with just the lighter neck and some are more lighter on the body.

I'll get a photo of each and hope you guys can help me pick a one!

They'll be 5 weeks on Monday so it's a tough choice at such a young age.

 

[Fur-N-Fowl]

Scrap the idea of getting a photo of them all, I've decided!

I've been hoping for a partridge with a black crest rather than the lemon/gold crest so hopefully this chick does.

So far, it's appearing that way but we will see.

It's currently 5 weeks old.

 

[Hinotori]

Looks like split wing on that bottom picture. I sell off pullets with that as pets. It's a DQ at shows. It would be best to check wings again around 14 weeks. That missing axial feather is a known silkie issue.

At the current age, only wings and toes can really be judges, not much else on the bird. I don't even decide who I'm going to use for possible breeding until they are 6 or more months old.

 

[Fur-N-Fowl]

Looks like split wing on that bottom picture. I sell off pullets with that as pets. It's a DQ at shows. It would be best to check wings again around 14 weeks. That missing axial feather is a known silkie issue.

At the current age, only wings and toes can really be judges, not much else on the bird. I don't even decide who I'm going to use for possible breeding until they are 6 or more months old.

Unfortunately I don't have space to keep all 18 of my chicks until that age, I sell the majority of them before that.

This chick won't be used for showing, it will eventually be sold as I'm only keeping it to see how it grows. I mainly focus on my show whites since the judges prefer whites where I live.

I do have nicer partridge chicks but I've been wanting a darker crested one to use for my photography so I'm hoping it grows half decent. This ones the only one with the darker crest.

As it grows I'll post back here or if I can get better photos I will too