silkie sexing

[Some0ne848]

yeah. a good photo of the head and face would help. or wen look your self. is the Combes are really big and wattles are really big too. like mine

thought might be a roo. any cock-a-doo-daloos yet?

but of the other photo it does look like some beautiful silkies. love the colours in them.

 

[cochins1088]

A close up of their comb and wattles would help. The grey one looks as though it could be a roo, just on his hairdo . They are bearded and it's always a little harder to see the comb.
Look for ribbons in the tail. You should be starting to see them in any roos. They are black/ blue, grey and buff. Lovely.

What do these "ribbons" look like?

 

[Fancychooklady]

They look just like 2 mm satin ribbons that lay in the fluff.

 

[RockerHen]

Streamers in my experience are often the most effective way of determining sex in silkies. Many breeder and show quality roosters have small combs and no wattles if they are bearded, so streamer growth is often the only rooster indicator. My bearded white cockerel Yuki, in the right position, looks like a pullet, as he doesn't have much of a comb to speak of.


But if he turns his head....


his streamers give him away! Don't let his feminine looks deceive you though, he now crows and is starting to mate his hens (he's 5 1/2 months).

love love love silkies! I'll try to keep up with this thread and help when I can.

 

[Some0ne848]

GOOD BYE TO THE BEST SILKIE ROOSTER EVER!!! THE GARDEN ANGEL TO MY LOVELY HENS AND ME. I WILL MISS YOU SO BERY VERY MUCH AND PROMIS TO VISIT WHEN I CAN.

ENJOY THE EXTRA SPACE AND PLENTY OF HENS TO MATE WITH.
LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND IT'S NOT GOOD BUE FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

XOXO

 

[JenS9]

Just want to add... boys don't always have huge combs and wattles at that age... My boy looks like a girl still, barely a comb, hardly any wattles. Doesn't crow yet. Only way I know he is a boy is because one of mine started laying, the other is doing squats, and I have fertile eggs.... All of mine are hatchery birds, so they all have smutty tails, and he doesn't have any streamers or anything yet, either.

 

[Some0ne848]

this is y new 1.5 month year old Pilkie (silkie cross) her name is ACE!!

 

[CarolinaHen]

I just don't understand why so many people have such difficulty determining the sex of Silkies. For me, it's very easy. If you follow the guidelines that were shared with me when I got my first one,you will have no more problems.
Here they are:
1. Look at the chick and decide it is a female.
2. Change your mind as to the sex of the chick 47 times within the next month.
3. Post pics on BYC to see what others think.
4. Change your mind on the sex of the chick 47 more times.
5. Wait for a crow or an egg.

See how easy that is!!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Just thought I'd come back and update since I've figured out who's who

https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/5946534/

Pullet, she's turned out to be a pretty good layer!