Silkie Chick Question

[PamB]

So, I'm wondering....we got 12 silkie chicks last Friday. We were told they are between 2 & 3 weeks old. A couple have puff balls on the tops of their heads and the others don't. Is this because they are older? I thought maybe it had something to do with sex, but because everything I read says they are so difficult to sex this young, I was thinking maybe it had to do with age.

Thanks!
Pam

 

[joe17]

The crests dont give away the sex unfortunately. There can be 2 reasons why some have poofs and some dont. It can be either some will just have bigger crests than others. Usually if you see the poofs developing in 2 weeks, they will have a pretty big crest. Most silkies that come from breeders will get crests really early. I barely ever see crests in hatchery birds. The other reason is that some are older than others. There really isnt a way to tell.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Those puff balls you are seeing are their vaults. See here http://www.hattricksilkies.net/articles_vaulted_skull.html

 

[joe17]

Ohh your talking about vaults! I have a bunch of chicks with vaults and I find all the vaulted skulled ones are already developing there crests. It might just appear that they are developing more but idk A lot of people think that only pullets have vaults but that isnt true.

 

[PamB]

Thanks for your responses. It doesn't seem to be vaulted, the skull seems flat under the poof. We did get them all from a breeder our area. There were about 20 chicks and we took 12 of them

.

 

[Beth G.]

Quote:
Hi Pam,
I was wondering if you could tell me where you bought your silkies from in CT. I too live in New Haven County, Connecticut but, am having difficulty finding them. I just recently lost a hen right after I bought her.
Thank you
Beth

 

[PamB]

Beth G. :

Quote:
Hi Pam,
I was wondering if you could tell me where you bought your silkies from in CT. I too live in New Haven County, Connecticut but, am having difficulty finding them. I just recently lost a hen right after I bought her.
Thank you
Beth

I purchased them from a woman in Wrentham, Ma. This is the craigslist ad w/a phone number: http://providence.craigslist.org/grd/1851035975.html

In case the link doesn't work, the number is 508 384 6633.​

 

[PamB]

So, I took a better look at their heads last night and I now believe that they are, in fact, vaulted. Thanks so much!!

 

[ndaniels1993]

I have a beautiful young silikie im looking to trade for a hen or just to get rid of as we cant habe any roosters where I live due to neighbors he isent that loud but I cant take the chance, hes black with gold on his head/neck here he is

 

[ndaniels1993]

Forgot to mention im in ri, but will travel to meet in close Connecticut or Massachusetts. Thanks guys!