Sexing your Silkies (PICTURES AND TIPS - Updated July-5-12)

[Chknmom2014]

I'm hoping someone can help me get some insight on these little ones. I'm leaning towards mostly cockerels ;( but I sure hope I'm wrong!! They are approximately 8 weeks old, they all came together, but I don't think they were all born the same day.

"sugar"-pullet?

"Sugar"

"Sugar"

"Shadow"

"shadow"

"Shadow"

"spice"-cockerel?

"spice"

"spice"

"Chewbacca"-cockerel?

"Chewbacca"

"Chewbacca"

I'm no expert, only have one silkie and he's a roo... The ones with the swept back look to the head feathers are probably roosters, pullets have a rounder look to them but it's very early still. Also combs will be more noticeable in roosters and when you make noises they haven't heard before a roo will generally stand with head high enough that neck is straight. These are some of the tips I have gotten when I was trying to figure out if mine was a roo. For the most part, you can't tell for sure until they start crowing. I hope this helps a bit. Good luck with your babies!

 

[dowgirl71]

Sadly, I think you are right. The swept back look of the head and the prominent comb makes me say roo. I'm no expert, by any means but this is how my only Silkie looked at that age. Mine isn't very loud and he also "talks" like the hens a lot but he does crow. He even sings egg songs with the girls! Lol.

Yes, and unfortunately the comb area is slightly raised, too. That's funny about yours & how he sings!

 

[Chknmom2014]

Yes, and unfortunately the comb area is slightly raised, too. That's funny about yours & how he sings!

It is very funny, he even sits in the nest boxes near them when they are laying sometimes! I planned not to have roosters at all, but I almost lost him to wry neck when he was only a couple weeks old so I can't bear to give him up. He's surely special tho! Lol I love him to pieces and he is very good with my hens, never any missing feathers or anything on the girls! And he's a great protector!

 

[dowgirl71]

So, I think I heard him crow, this morning.

 

[Chknmom2014]

Oh no! I'm sorry, I know how sad that makes you after you've raised them. I have two that hatched from my flock that are Roos I have to part with too! It stinks!!!

 

[dowgirl71]

My son was trying to convince me, tonight that it wasn't this Silkie who crowed. He is getting attached to him. I'll try to get a picture of Willie's sibling who really (thankfully) looks like a pullet.

 

[Chknmom2014]

My silkie cross Roos. Hatched from my flock in early March. White one (glory) is silkie roo dad and Leghorn mom. Dark one ( Hunny) is game hen mom and silkie roo dad.

 

[celestialdreamer]

Can anyone guess boys or girls for our 3 silkies that are about 7 weeks old? The blue is substantially bigger and has bigger legs, I would be shocked if he turned into a hen. The lavender and black I'm really hoping are hens, but I just don't know. I'm leaning towards pullet for the lavender since she has petite legs and more of a hen shape. We raised 4 last year and only got one hen, ugh. Two were obviously boys with that bunch but one cute little hen with the perfect puff on 'her' head ended up crowing. We are hoping for 1 boy and 2 girls to add to the hen we already have.

 

[VladikC]

Any guesses?

 

[Chknmom2014]

How old? I'm thinking cockerel because of the way crest is swept back but I'm no expert by any stretch! Also the tail has a slight curve to it. Again, I'm no expert!!! Wait for a crow or an egg, that's how I figured out what mine was.