Sexing silkies & what do you call this color?

[Chookchicken]

The partridges I’m fairly certain are cockerels.
The grey one I’m unsure about, but I’m leaning cockerel.
And the buff I’d say is looking most like a pullet.
No guarantees with Silkies.

 

[Corticeiro]

The partridges I’m fairly certain are cockerels.
The grey one I’m unsure about, but I’m leaning cockerel.
And the buff I’d say is looking most like a pullet.
No guarantees with Silkies.

What do you look for for assessment? I'm really interested in learning/being able to make the best educated guess possible.

Yesterday I heard a squabble in their coop and the moment I got there I saw the partridge with the bigger comb pecking/holding the crest feathers of the other partridge. They were in front of one another. The second partridge was squatting and when the first one let go he/she stood in a squatting position with neck and head laying low against the ground... Can it be that they were settling who's the alpha (if they're both cockerels)? Or that it was a mating thing (if they are indeed a couple)?

Thanks!

 

[Chookchicken]

What do you look for for assessment? I'm really interested in learning/being able to make the best educated guess possible.

Yesterday I heard a squabble in their coop and the moment I got there I saw the partridge with the bigger comb pecking/holding the crest feathers of the other partridge. They were in front of one another. The second partridge was squatting and when the first one let go he/she stood in a squatting position with neck and head laying low against the ground... Can it be that they were settling who's the alpha (if they're both cockerels)? Or that it was a mating thing (if they are indeed a couple)?

Thanks!

The reason I said the partridges were cockerels is because they have big combs and wattles, and they also have very slight streamers on the back of their heads (sometimes pullets have streamers, but it is most common in cockerels). The reason I said the grey is a cockerel is because it looks like it has slight streamers starting, I did look back at the photos and I’m feeling more unsure about it. If you were to ask me about the grey one now I’d say s/he’s looking more like a pullet. Pullets have smaller combs, and more rounded fluff on their heads. People do say you can tell by posture, but I often don‘t find it very useful.

It sounds like the partridges were fighting to try and see who is the Alpha. As they get towards crowing age this will become more and more common.

 

[Corticeiro]

The reason I said the partridges were cockerels is because they have big combs and wattles, and they also have very slight streamers on the back of their heads (sometimes pullets have streamers, but it is most common in cockerels). The reason I said the grey is a cockerel is because it looks like it has slight streamers starting, I did look back at the photos and I’m feeling more unsure about it. If you were to ask me about the grey one now I’d say s/he’s looking more like a pullet. Pullets have smaller combs, and more rounded fluff on their heads. People do say you can tell by posture, but I often don‘t find it very useful.

It sounds like the partridges were fighting to try and see who is the Alpha. As they get towards crowing age this will become more and more common.

Thank you so much Chookchicken!

The partridges are from the same hatch (different breeding stock though)... Is it usual that 2 birds from the same breed and age (~5-½ months) have such different development in comb and wattles?

Streamers are the longer feathers on their heads, right?

At what age do they usually start crowing?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Chookchicken]

Thank you so much Chookchicken!

The partridges are from the same hatch (different breeding stock though)... Is it usual that 2 birds from the same breed and age (~5-½ months) have such different development in comb and wattles?

Streamers are the longer feathers on their heads, right?

At what age do they usually start crowing?

Thanks in advance.

Every bird has different wattle and comb development. The chances that you’ll find two with the exact some comb and wattle development, at the exact same time is minimal. It is normal that different birds grow their combs and wattles in at different ages. It’s also normal if they’re wattles and combs don’t look the same as each other.

This is what some Silkies streamers look like (neither is my photo).

Silkie roosters usually start crowing between 4-7 months of age. Some do start crowing at only 3 months, some don’t start until they’re 8+ months old.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

I only see one obvious cockerel- the partridge one with the larger comb

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I only see one obvious cockerel- the partridge one with the larger comb

Same

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Both partridge are looking male to me. Other two look like pullets so far anyway.
The splash does look pure, just with non- SOP skin color. Not uncommon. It could also possibly have some dominant white going on which would give uneven skin coloring.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

Yeah, #2 is 100% a cockerel. The others are iffy, but nothing is screaming cockerel to me. He might be the only one as the rest have pretty feminine posture, but bearded Silkies are even harder than non bearded. I'm with @LadiesAndJane on the Splash; they're pure they just have multiple faults. At the age of the oldest ones you should definitely be hearing crowing if not now, soon enough. The interaction you described above sounds like an attempt to mate between two inexperienced birds, so you could be in luck and actually have a pair.

 

[kurby22]

Hi!

May I have your best guess on the following silkies' gender:

#1 - 3 month-old. What do you call this color?
#2 - 5 month-old. Bought it as a partridge roo. (Head pic in the very last pic)
#3 - 5 month-old. Bought it as a partridge hen.
#4 - 2 month-old splash. Got it for free because of beak and leg color and comb type.

Thanks in advance,
DC.

EDIT - Added a few extra pics

I'm new to silkies so my opinion isn't worth much haha, but I think you have two pullets, one that is still in question (photo 3.1) and one that I think may be a cockerel--the image labeled with the WA0023 at the end.