sex

[wantbantams]

At what age can you sex bantams?

 

[hdowden]

depends on the breed...most chicks can be accurately sexed at 6 weeks, some that cant are silkies and polish...d'uccles can be sexed at 3.5 weeks of age

 

[Coop Deville]

And a handful of bantam breeds can be sexed based on traits that they are born with. Nankin bantam* pullets, for example, have a black spot on their heads while the cockerels do not.

*Of course, some would say that Nankins are not truly bantams because there is no full-size counterpart within their breed, but they are often sold and categorized as bantams.

 

[Nicole01]

My d'uccle was easy to sex by 3 weeks. I knew I picked a pullet, which I was thrilled. She seems to be everyone's all time favorite. Her name is muffin, but my husband and I call her pigeon.

Here she is at 3 weeks

Now in the coop at 1 year old. She's looking for a spot to fly on my shoulder.

 

[chickletteSarge]

How do you sex the silkie and d'uccle? I ordered my girls a pair of each and am hoping for a breeding pair of self blue d'uccles! Rlly eager to learn how to sex them when they come in! A supa prize for them as they would say. That is if they both get a m/f pairs

 

[Nicole01]

D'Uccles are mostly easy to sex around 3 weeks by comb. Boys have an advanced reddened comb and will grow saddle feathers quickly. They grow very fast. However, some are tricky to sex early.

Silkies on the other hand are very difficult to sex. I've read that you need to wait until they crow or lay an egg.

Good luck with your chicks!

 

[chickletteSarge]

Thanks for the info! Glad I now am a part of a HUGE knoledge base! Ill post pics to my profile and here when they come in!

 

[aoxa]

D'Uccles are mostly easy to sex around 3 weeks by comb. Boys have an advanced reddened comb and will grow saddle feathers quickly. They grow very fast. However, some are tricky to sex early.
Silkies on the other hand are very difficult to sex. I've read that you need to wait until they crow or lay an egg.
Good luck with your chicks!

Some silkies can be easy, but others are really tricky. I'd say you could easily sex a silkie by 12 weeks old. I sexed my girls @ 8 weeks and was right

 

[chickletteSarge]

How'd u do that aoxa? My lil munkey is getting a pair of buff silkies...id like a m/f pr but we have a pr of neked necks
And my wife wants to make some showgirls....

 

[aoxa]

How'd u do that aoxa? My lil munkey is getting a pair of buff silkies...id like a m/f pr but we have a pr of neked necks And my wife wants to make some showgirls....

Partridge are easier to sex with silkies, as females have specific colouring. Males will have streamers - some had them at the breeder's at this age. I've also noticed that the boys had a more pronounced comb. Now I say that they are much harder to sex, but certain behaviours stick out for boys at this age as well. The boys stood taller, were more outgoing and fought with eachother more than the girls. I have 10 silkie chicks that are a week old, and I have one pegged as a cockerel based on attitude alone. Time will tell if my suspicions were right or not.

The one staring at you has a big personality and isn't as afraid as some of the others. I'll be keeping track of the growth to see if I was right or not.