Silkie thread!

[CaliFarmsAR]

OK lovely people here are my silkies again at 7 1/2 weeks. Posting photos again as was suggested previously! Also because they are so stinking cute!
Can you guess the genders?
I believe this is Zelda, but now it is hard to tell the difference between the two white ones anymore. I suspect she is a female. Also more submissive and stays out of the fray.
View attachment 2245863

This is Asher, who I suspect is a male, he is the friendliest of all of them. Never had a big puff, but seems to be developing streamers
View attachment 2245864

This is Pip, he has always had the rooster vibe. He is a splash satin.
View attachment 2245865

This is Kana, I also suspect she is female. She is the most submissive and keeps to herself for the most part. Also lowest in the pecking order
View attachment 2245866

This is Layla, who is developing streamers and doing the chest bump thing with the other suspected boys, so maybe need to change her name to Leo.
View attachment 2245867

This is Jane, who did indeed end up being white (it was debatable for a long time). Thought she was female forever, but now I am in doubt.
View attachment 2245868
Thanks for your input and yes I know it is early, but fun to keep guessing as they change and develop!

I so so so want silkies!! They are so cute and lovely!!

 

[AngBantamLuv]

OK lovely people here are my silkies again at 7 1/2 weeks. Posting photos again as was suggested previously! Also because they are so stinking cute!
Can you guess the genders?
I believe this is Zelda, but now it is hard to tell the difference between the two white ones anymore. I suspect she is a female. Also more submissive and stays out of the fray.
View attachment 2245863

This is Asher, who I suspect is a male, he is the friendliest of all of them. Never had a big puff, but seems to be developing streamers
View attachment 2245864

This is Pip, he has always had the rooster vibe. He is a splash satin.
View attachment 2245865

This is Kana, I also suspect she is female. She is the most submissive and keeps to herself for the most part. Also lowest in the pecking order
View attachment 2245866

This is Layla, also a splash, who is developing streamers and doing the chest bump thing with the other suspected boys, so maybe need to change her name to Leo.
View attachment 2245867

This is Jane, who did indeed end up being white (it was debatable for a long time). Thought she was female forever, but now I am in doubt.
View attachment 2245868
Thanks for your input and yes I know it is early, but fun to keep guessing as they change and develop!

I think Asher and Jane are still in the running for females. My black silkie looked the same, if not more streamerish, and I got DNA testing, and its a GIRL.. so don't give up hope yet. My vote is female for both. How about combs? how are they looking?

 

[AngBantamLuv]

OK lovely people here are my silkies again at 7 1/2 weeks. Posting photos again as was suggested previously! Also because they are so stinking cute!
Can you guess the genders?
I believe this is Zelda, but now it is hard to tell the difference between the two white ones anymore. I suspect she is a female. Also more submissive and stays out of the fray.
View attachment 2245863

This is Asher, who I suspect is a male, he is the friendliest of all of them. Never had a big puff, but seems to be developing streamers
View attachment 2245864

This is Pip, he has always had the rooster vibe. He is a splash satin.
View attachment 2245865

This is Kana, I also suspect she is female. She is the most submissive and keeps to herself for the most part. Also lowest in the pecking order
View attachment 2245866

This is Layla, also a splash, who is developing streamers and doing the chest bump thing with the other suspected boys, so maybe need to change her name to Leo.
View attachment 2245867

This is Jane, who did indeed end up being white (it was debatable for a long time). Thought she was female forever, but now I am in doubt.
View attachment 2245868
Thanks for your input and yes I know it is early, but fun to keep guessing as they change and develop!

Actually, NONE of yours look exceptionally male to me. I think comb might have more of an impact. So at 11 weeks, I still see no comb/waddle development in my 2 DNA tested females.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I think Asher and Jane are still in the running for females. My black silkie looked the same, if not more streamerish, and I got DNA testing, and its a GIRL.. so don't give up hope yet. My vote is female for both. How about combs? how are they looking?

I don’t really see any combs yet in any of them.
Thanks, Asher is so sweet and doesn’t seem to be acting roosterish but occasionally does. I know it could just be a dominance thing trying to figure out who’s boss as well. The silkies don’t stand a chance, they’re in a pen with Marans and Ameraucanas, who are nice enough to them anyway as they were raised together.
I read your posts about the DNA testing. So exciting you have a girl! We definitely cannot keep four roosters maybe we can keep one. Thankfully we live in a neighborhood where nobody cares if we have roosters!
Where did you send the DNA test into? I think it might be fun to give that a try. Do you send them some of their feathers I imagine? Let me know the process it sounds fascinating!

 

[The Backyard Bantams]

Any tips for sexing at a very young age? I know it is hard. I don’t think I can vent sex them since I don’t want to hurt them.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

I don’t really see any combs yet in any of them.
Thanks, Asher is so sweet and doesn’t seem to be acting roosterish but occasionally does. I know it could just be a dominance thing trying to figure out who’s boss as well. The silkies don’t stand a chance, they’re in a pen with Marans and Ameraucanas, who are nice enough to them anyway as they were raised together.
I read your posts about the DNA testing. So exciting you have a girl! We definitely cannot keep four roosters maybe we can keep one. Thankfully we live in a neighborhood where nobody cares if we have roosters!
Where did you send the DNA test into? I think it might be fun to give that a try. Do you send them some of their feathers I imagine? Let me know the process it sounds fascinating!

So out of 6 that i picked (mix of silkies and d'uccles), i had a hunch one d'uccle might be a male, and it was, all 5 of the others were female!!! So it is possible! The D'Uccles show a comb very early if they are Males, but i had *2* silkies i wasn't sure of. The one i thought was a male was just a big girl, but she was big as a 2-3 day old chick too, so she was actually proportionately larger through her growing phase. There was one female d'uccle who was just so mean, so i sent her as a pair w the male to the pet store. So all 4 of the others were female!! The DNA testing is delayed because of covid, so i almost feel like youll know by the time you get your tests back at this point! But i used www.iqbirdtesting.com, costs $13 per test, and yes, you pull a few feathers near their vent, so very easy. But man is it still nerve racking after you fall in love! Im so grateful they are all girls!!
Here they are, sun bathing again today

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Any tips for sexing at a very young age? I know it is hard. I don’t think I can vent sex them since I don’t want to hurt them.

For mine, crest poof was really unhelpful, but they had NO comb or waddle development (both females).

 

[The Backyard Bantams]

For mine, crest poof was really unhelpful, but they had NO comb or waddle development (both females).

It is harder to tell with all of the floof. It’s often hard to see in baby chicks especially, which I plan on getting.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

It is harder to tell with all of the floof. It’s often hard to see in baby chicks especially, which I plan on getting.

Mine were pretty floof free.. which is what had me very worried they were boys! But they were just late blooming pretty girls! Love them so much! I never imagined some chickens would make me so happy

 

[AngBantamLuv]

It is harder to tell with all of the floof. It’s often hard to see in baby chicks especially, which I plan on getting.

I think you need to just get them and cross your fingers. As hatchlings, you won't be able to tell. Vent sexing can be very damaging, especially on bantams.