silkie sexing

[JesNflock]

Thing my partridge is a rooster, 4+ months old, thoughts?

I wish I knew more about sexing Silkies..sorry. That red color is very nice though! I love it!
Is red in Silkies a male color like in EE or can it also be common in females?

 

[ozu]

Thing my partridge is a rooster, 4+ months old, thoughts?

Hey Sam! (Guess who! )

Butterscotch throws me off with that color. Usually a dark red like that means boy. I do know girl partridges are penciled all the way through, but I can't tell if yours is or not..

But his/her comb and wattles are still pretty small for that age (all my bearded silkies, even the girls, have wattles O: ), the neck feathers don't scream boy to me at this moment, and I don't particularly see streamers in the head (maybe a feather or two that could be in that first pic)... so... my instinct is boy with that stance and coloring.

I am actually a tad lost with this one's sex, despite my instinct saying that! That makes me nervous, I want to get more silkies next year but I can not end up with anymore roosters, lol!

 

[Galtice]

Does anyone have any advice for getting your silkies a little more tame I have a older roo whom will come around you curious but doesn't want to be touched I was ok with that went and got some chicks that from what I'm seeing weren't used to people and they FREAK out when you try and hold them they are about 3-4 months old now I've had them for a month and a half I thought they would get used to us which they come closer now but still act like your killing them if you try to touch them. It's so frustrating sense they are cute as buttons we just want to love them lol

 

[Varglet]

I FINALLY caught "Jasper" in the act of laying an egg. Now she needs a new name...

 

[cheeka]

Galtice,

the best advice I can give you is to slow down. if you move slowly at all times around your birds - and speak softly... they tend to become much more relaxed. I never chase them, never run through, never speak too loudly, or high pitched... my granddaughter, who is 4... loves to run screeching through the flock, then she wonders why they scatter when she walks through...

I don't make sudden moves to snatch them either. start by hand feeding some nice seeds, letting them get used to being close. hold your other hand out, to stroke them as they walk past. they may leap. don't move your hand... it takes some time... like months... but eventually the majority of your birds will let you pat them, and may even let you pick them up without a squawk. you'll get there if you're patient.

mine... depends on the bird... but I can handle any and all of them, and none of them flap me in the face when I put them down. they learn by watching the others too... so ~ when you get to the point where you can pick one up... reward it by hand feeding a treat while you hold it. this shows them that there is something positive about being held. the others will see and will realize that while they aren't sure about it... it's not going to be traumatic... they are smart enough to figure out those kinds of "relationships"... such as birds A, B and C... if B beats up C, then C watches A beat up B... C knows automatically to stay away from A. A can beat him up... it's the same for positive relationships... mine occasionally line up for lovin's... they are so calm, that I can walk strangers in and they do not react. my guests have been pleasantly astonished to have the ability to hold a chicken... or hand feed them.

Patience, Slow, Soft. Time. good luck!

 

[Galtice]

Galtice, 

the best advice I can give you is to slow down.  if you move slowly at all times around your birds - and speak softly... they tend to become much more relaxed.  I never chase them, never run through, never speak too loudly, or high pitched... my granddaughter, who is 4... loves to run screeching through the flock, then she wonders why they scatter when she walks through... 

I don't make sudden moves to snatch them either.  start by hand feeding some nice seeds, letting them get used to being close.  hold your other hand out, to stroke them as they walk past.  they may leap.  don't move your hand... it takes some time... like months... but eventually the majority of your birds will let you pat them, and may even let you pick them up without a squawk.  you'll get there if you're patient.

mine... depends on the bird... but I can handle any and all of them, and none of them flap me in the face when I put them down.  they learn by watching the others too... so ~ when you get to the point where you can pick one up... reward it by hand feeding a treat while you hold it.  this shows them that there is something positive about being held.  the others will see and will realize that while they aren't sure about it... it's not going to be traumatic... they are smart enough to figure out those kinds of "relationships"... such as birds A, B and C... if B beats up C, then C watches A beat up B... C knows automatically to stay away from A.  A can beat him up...  it's the same for positive relationships... mine occasionally line up for lovin's... they are so calm, that I can walk strangers in and they do not react.  my guests have been pleasantly astonished to have the ability to hold a chicken... or hand feed them.

Patience, Slow, Soft. Time.  good luck!  

Thank you that makes alot of sense I usually just squat down after I feed and sit by them and they don't mind I one whom will jump to sit on my head lol and two that jump in my lap. I have noticed my layer breeds to be a little more on the flighty side but these three little silkies just jump squall hate when I reach to touch or even pick them up!! I am going to try hand feeding them their treat tomorrow at treat time!!! Fingers crossed!!!!

 

[Varglet]

I like getting my chickens as 1-3 day old chicks, so I can get them used to handling. My two Silkies will even walk on leashes. I can carry them in to town (the town is only a square mile in size, but we live on the edge of town, so by "in town" I mean where all the businesses are at, which is a whole two square blocks) and let them follow behind me as I go from the cafe to the store and whatnot, then carry them back home. People seem to love watching me take my Silkies for walks, and they get lots of petting, attention, and pictures, which they don't mind.

Since it's been cold out (below 40 during the day, don't know exactly what because I don't have a thermometer outside), I haven't been walking them, and people keep asking where that woman is with the chickens on leashes...

Now, if anyone else tries to go into the chicken pen, the chickens keep a good distance from them, except my rooster (Cochin banty), who will attack anyone except me. Renee (Delaware pullet), on the other hand, just wants treats, so she's right under your feet. But she doesn't let anyone but me handle her.

 

[kabhyper1]

Okay so looking through my pictures, I found one may show sex on some of my babies. They are 7 and 8 weeks. Im thinking girl on the splash and the blue in front. The Partridge is iffy still, hoping girl. The Black in front is Chance,my little buddy, all boy, and the two in back Im pretty sure are boys.

 

[Galtice]

It's so funny to watch them all run from different areas to the gate as I'm walking to their yard so I guess they like me maybe my birds are just not the lovey dovey type lol

 

[atrueb00]

This chicken is 25 weeks old. Very sweet disposition and doesn't mind sitting on my lap at all. Any ideas if it is male or female?