silkie sexing

[mtnmom85]

Any ideas? We have two white silkies that were hatched 12-23-17 and they both look identical. So we either have 2 roos or 2 pullets. They both have pink combs even though they look pretty red in the pictures. The combs are flat and haven't changed color or grown bigger. Personality wise they are both followers. We have a Bantam Cochin rooster and a RIR hen that hatched with them. Both silkies follow the Cochin roo around all day. if he goes in to the coop, they follow. Everything about their personality screams pullet, but with other roosters in the coop you never know.

 

[Michelle Guynn]

I’m saying roo.

 

[mtnmom85]

I’m saying roo.

Yes. Both turned out to be boys. We ordered 5 female "blue" silkies that are due to hatch tomorrow. Fingers crossed shipping goes well.

 

[Michelle Guynn]

How do you know they are girls if they didn’t hatch yet?

 

[mtnmom85]

How do you know they are girls if they didn’t hatch yet?

We ordered from MPC. Although it isn't 100%, they vent sex them when they hatch. We already have 2 white silkie roos and a bantam cochin roo. We only have a RIR hen and a Barred Rock hen so we figured it was worth the extra cost to give us better chances at getting girls. They have a pretty good track record for sexing their bantams and if they are wrong we will be reimbursed. For us, even if we do end up with a roo, its better than doing straight run and running the risks of getting all roos...if that logic makes any sense to you LOL

 

[Michelle Guynn]

Oh so they sex them after they hatch. I was thinking you had girl eggs. Lol

 

[Faraday40]

Oh so they sex them after they hatch. I was thinking you had girl eggs. Lol

I actually read there's a new way to candle using an infrared laser to analyse fluorescence signals from embryonic blood vessels & determine sex while still in egg. Too expensive for consumer market and too experimental for industry right now, but perhaps hatcheries will invest in a few years after a little more R&D. The idea is genius and would save time/electricity costs by simply not hatching the males.

Our DD did a very extensive project on comparing egg shape & gender. (Hatched over 400 chicks for her sci fair project!) Turned out to be a myth, but people still swear by it.

 

[HauptsHenHouse]

Any ideas? These 3 babies are 4.5 weeks old.

 

[Faraday40]

View attachment 1356235 View attachment 1356236 View attachment 1356237 Any ideas? These 3 babies are 4.5 weeks old.

There's a chance #2 is a boy. (I can't see their combs very well, but that one looks a little pink already.) Most silkies have black combs until older. The combs should look narrow & flat on females. The ones that have wider combs or a bump could be male. Of course 4 weeks is very, very young, so there's not much to do but wait. I'm in the same boat. My silkies turned 4 weeks last Sun. Even worse, all 5 are buff, so I can barely tell them apart!

 

[Michelle Guynn]

View attachment 1356235 View attachment 1356236 View attachment 1356237 Any ideas? These 3 babies are 4.5 weeks old.

I’m going to say 1&3 are Roos. 2 is a pullet.