How big does a silkie hen's comb and waddle typically get? I'm just curious, because I just got seven young silkies, and, as I've found out, they're difficult to sex. What signs should I be looking for?
They are very hard to tell gender until they either start crowing or laying, which can be several months later than standard chickens. Males eventually get pretty large walnut combs, which will get a very dark purple/reddish color. Females combs stay very small. But it can take 5-6 months until you know for sure. I've recently hatched out 8 silkie chicks from my own eggs - they are between 5-7 weeks old and I have no clue yet on gender.
