Sexing silkies

[ThePolishPrincess]

Meeerylou-That's a male. Wattles are very large and he has streamer feathers on his head.

 

[joe17]

Sexing hatchery silkies:
To me it's harder to sex hatchery silkies than show quality ones. You never know if their crests are really slicked back because they are roosters or just because they are really poor quality. If you have hatchery silkies forget the crests 95% of the time. It's not a sure fire way to sex them. Usually look at their face and comb. The only way to explain it is the males faces look more grumpy. Their combs are very lumpy and look like a huge wad of bubble gum. Sometimes females look like this though. Next look at the tails. They usually are harder if there males. Another thing to look at is the personality. Hatchery males usually are a bit meaner.

Sexing quality silkies:
These are usually easier to sex. The females crests are almost always circular and upright. Their wings are more horizontal. The males have angled wings most of the time and have streamers coming from their crests. Just look at their type. Will get pictures up sooner. Males look proud and big. The females look dainty and composed tightly. Usually the wings give it away for me. Also young males are lanky and weirdly shaped. Their chests puff out and they look proud.

Generally look for streamers on their crests for males and slanted wings. Will post pictures on how the type on the males look. Females have round crests and soft cushion. Females have smaller combs and are smaller in size.

Here is a young cockerel around 5-6 months old. Notice his stance.

Here is a young pullet the same age as the cockerel.

Here is an older rooster to compare.

Few hens

 

[meeerylou]

Wow thanks for the extensive reply! My young Silkie is from a hathery; not very good stock, I'm afriad; I have read that red wattles are a DQ but I don't have a Standard of Perfection yet.

 

[joe17]

I think red wattles is a fault maybe not a DQ. I have seen a bunch of red faced silkies at some shows and they never get DQ'd. I havent memorized the standards yet.

 

[silkie101]

hmmmm hard to tell but in thinking roo

 

[tiki244]

A.T. Hagan :

........... but at only eight weeks old I could be wrong.

I don't think even the birds know for sure until they're six months along.

I have a new theory.
I wet the feathers around the comb when they are about a week old and I take a nice clear picture with my digital camera. Sometimes it takes more than one attempt to get it real clear. Then I zoom in on the pictures and examine the combs that way. The "boys" "seem" to have a much more defined comb andf a transverse line there also. Then I make as decision (educated guess) on that. But I need more years to study this method. Here is a picture of an older one I took that "surely" reveals a boy!?

 

[tiki244]

joe17 I call that look of the females at a certain age the "weebalo" look or like the "yup=yups" on sesama street. All chest and crest, and they would just be fluffy and say yup yup yup yup. Anyone remember that on sesame street?

 

[meeerylou]

Yes, tiki, I remember those yup yup muppets! I also think white Silkies look like "Shmoo" from "Captain Cave Man" cartoon!

 

[meeerylou]

thanks for all the advice.

The "fat" base on the comb of the cockerel is very visible in your pix: I'll have to go look at my silkie's
now!

 

[TeriyakiChicken]

2 roos