Silkie Question

[posey]

My remaining Silkie still doesn't have all of it's adult feathers yet.

It is white and I don't think it is the bearded breed.

I have noticed that the head feathers that have grown in look just like the head of a cardinal or bluejay bird in shape. We though it was a female but after looking at pictures of male and female - now I'm not sure what we have. This chick is only 6 weeks old, is it too soon to tell by the feathering?

My avatar is a photo of the Silkie but I'm not sure it shows the head feathers very well.

What do ya think?

Thanks Posey

 

[briana1975]

From all the post I keep reading on sexing silkies it may be to young to tell. Mine are 13 weeks and I can finally tell.

 

[Birdgirl]

yes its too soon, silkies are very hard to tell.....maybe that one is just going to have a small top?

 

[Punk-Rock_Chicken]

If we could see a closer head shot, we might be able to help more. But I dont think that the crest will help in identifying roo or hen. The comb size is what you would look at.

 

[posey]

Thanks, we will just have to wait and see.

My husband and I have just fallen in love with this breed. They are so darn cute. Ours is a one chick comedy act. She's (I'm thinking positive here) like Speedy Gonzalez, zoom, zoom, duck under here, pop up over there. She's very friendly and so curious about everything. I wish we wouldn't have lost the other one we got. This has been a rough week. darn fire ants!!!

My husband really surprised me tonight when he said, lets go get a few more, I love them. I don't want this one to be all alone. Well she's certainly not alone there are 10 other chicks her age in the coop with her but they are Lt Brahmas and Australorps.

He wants a roo too, go figure. I thought he would think they were just Chick, chicks, if ya know what I mean. So glad he feels like me.

 

[Birdgirl]

yes silkies are a sin...they are the devil, you have to give in to their powers! LOL very sweet chickens I have 7 too

 

[silkie freak 22]

yeah i have 20 and 10 more on the way. i have some silkies that are 4 months old and i still cant sex them for sure. i have had silkies that i thought were roosters until they started laying eggs

 

[posey]

Silkie Freak, maybe it's a PA addiction. My husband is from Johnstown and I am from Greensburg both in southwestern PA. LOL

I agree Never enough Silkies.

That's why when my other little one died tuesday night I was so broken up. I was so hoping that she would get better. Of the two we have she was the friendliest. Sigh.

I was delighted when DH said we should go and get another one for me. Then he said O lets just get a few more they are so darn cute.

I hope that the seller we got ours from will still have some left but he only sells the white ones.

Where do ya'll get yours from?

I'd love to have a buff and a splash and maybe a blue too

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

At 7 weeks there is no telling how full the crest will become--it could end up quite full, or stay a small blue-jay-like tassel (depending on quality or lack).

With silkies the first clue of maledom is usually streamers coming off the back of the crest and hackle--but you are a long ways from that amount of development. Comb is not usually a good indicator for silkies unless you are familiar with a specific line. Many breeders select for small combed males, and that trait is inherited.

 

[Punk-Rock_Chicken]

Quote:
Good point. Here is a pic of 2 of my silkies...try and guess which one is a hen and which is the hen? LOL!

Here is a better pic of the Splash...