Silkie Frizzle Chick Genders

[Mowglimommychick]

Hi - To anyone that has knowledge and enjoys giving educated opinions, I would love to know what gender you would say each of these chicks are. Please don't tell me they are too young to sex correctly, as that is not a helpful reply, and I understand that at 6 weeks, this is not guaranteed to be accurate and is just based on observation and gut feeling. I just have more chicks than I can keep, and I'm trying to make a decision about which ones to gamble on keeping in the hopes that they will have the best likelihood to

grow to be hens. I have made guesses based on my observations of each one, and pictures are numbered in different colors, so if it's numbered yellow, I really couldn't reach any conclusion, if it's blue I think it's a male, and if it's pink I think it is female. I don't know why when pictures upload that it sometimes duplicates some and why are you orders them oh, so sorry about that.

 

[Shadowfire]

I guessing that 7, 5, and 4 are males and the rest are females.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

1, 8, and 2 look possibly female to me, the rest look male.

 

[Gray Farms]

1,2,3 are your most likely to be pullets. 6,7,5 are very likely cockerels.

 

[Mowglimommychick]

I appreciate all observations so far! The ones that I coded blue for boy, I did based on wider comb area that looked like it would be a walnut comb (like #5 that we all agree on and the behavior matches roo too), and for girls I was thinking that more raised rose comblike center looked female. I'm attaching pictures of the parents of these chicks - the frizzle hen has that little raised center squiggle in her comb area. I don't even know what that's called lol.

I'm interested in knowing what features are standing out to you that made you lean one way or the other? This is my first year of having chickens so I have a lot to learn still!

 

[drumstick diva]

improper combs for some of them - not walnut at all -

agree with oldhenlikesdogs

 

[Keeperofmunchkins]

1, 2, 3 and 8 are almost definitely girls.
5 is 100% boy.
4 and 7 are very likely boys.
6 I'm on the fence about.

Therefore I think you may be wrong about 1 and 2 and also 7.

The comb types do not indicate sex. The size of the comb at this age is the most important factor. In other breeds the comb colour would also be an indication but silkies do not usually get red combs. Pure silkies should have walnut combs that kind of look like a wide lump that grows to be knobbly later. That middle squiggle on your pretty brown girl is a different comb type. I don't know the terms that well either but it is not a walnut comb. This can happen with mixed breeds or just silkies that have been bred from not 'to standard' stock. Nothing wrong with it. But generally those with flat or tiny combs at 6 weeks are female and those with raised or large combs are males.

How many were you thinking of rehoming? 4,5 and 7 are three of the best choices to give away.

 

[Mowglimommychick]

1, 2, 3 and 8 are almost definitely girls.
5 is 100% boy.
4 and 7 are very likely boys.
6 I'm on the fence about.

Therefore I think you may be wrong about 1 and 2 and also 7.

The comb types do not indicate sex. The size of the comb at this age is the most important factor. In other breeds the comb colour would also be an indication but silkies do not usually get red combs. Pure silkies should have walnut combs that kind of look like a wide lump that grows to be knobbly later. That middle squiggle on your pretty brown girl is a different comb type. I don't know the terms that well either but it is not a walnut comb. This can happen with mixed breeds or just silkies that have been bred from not 'to standard' stock. Nothing wrong with it. But generally those with flat or tiny combs at 6 weeks are female and those with raised or large combs are males.

How many were you thinking of rehoming? 4,5 and 7 are three of the best choices to give away.

I was going to keep the #5 roo nomatter what bc I like his coloring and personality, but I was going to try to keep two or three hens. Based on replies, I guess I'll keep 1 & 2 as likely girls. I may also keep 6 just in case, because I love the look and was really hoping it was a girl.

Overall, I'm trying to keep no more than four of them (so half).