Silkie thread!

[HeatherKellyB]

Hello fellow Silkie Lovers! I have a silkie that I hatched in the incubator. The others didn't make it so its brooding with a Turken. I have a silkie pullet and 2 silkie cockerels that will be 1 year old next month (Aug 10th), but nothing in exact age to compare it to. In your experience, do silkie pullets always have a more flat posture and cockerels have a more erect posture to them at very young ages? I'm curious because this silkie seems to be more upright. It doesn't have an outgoing personality but it's not terrified of everything either but is a bit reserved. It was a singleton for a week after hatch so we spent a lot of time with it. It will come out to our hand when placed in the brooder and calling it's name. It never gets upset and but still is more reserved as far as new things. To be completely honest, I've never had a chick this chill about everything but without the outgoing tendencies like a cockerel, but the stature is more male. I know it's so difficult to sex silkies, especially when they're not Hatchery quality (I was able to identify the gender of my hatchery quality at a month old). I do understand that anything right now would simply be a guess but I would like to know what your experience has been with my questions. Thank you so much for your time. I appreciate any feedback and assistance

 

[LynnaePB]

Hello fellow Silkie Lovers! I have a silkie that I hatched in the incubator. The others didn't make it so its brooding with a Turken. I have a silkie pullet and 2 silkie cockerels that will be 1 year old next month (Aug 10th), but nothing in exact age to compare it to. In your experience, do silkie pullets always have a more flat posture and cockerels have a more erect posture to them at very young ages? I'm curious because this silkie seems to be more upright. It doesn't have an outgoing personality but it's not terrified of everything either but is a bit reserved. It was a singleton for a week after hatch so we spent a lot of time with it. It will come out to our hand when placed in the brooder and calling it's name. It never gets upset and but still is more reserved as far as new things. To be completely honest, I've never had a chick this chill about everything but without the outgoing tendencies like a cockerel, but the stature is more male. I know it's so difficult to sex silkies, especially when they're not Hatchery quality (I was able to identify the gender of my hatchery quality at a month old). I do understand that anything right now would simply be a guess but I would like to know what your experience has been with my questions. Thank you so much for your time. I appreciate any feedback and assistance

While I do find the little pullets are more likely to have the less upright/alert posture it's still pretty common to have little pullets/cockerels that act like the opposite gender. I've had my fare share of pullets that I was sure were cockerels as chicks (little stinkers fought with all the cockerels and would attack my hand as well when I fed/watered or otherwise interacted with the chicks). I've had really tiny skittish cockerels as well that I was sure were going to be pullets.

I've started relying more on combs and streamers since behavior is sometimes deceiving (still useful though).

 

[HeatherKellyB]

While I do find the little pullets are more likely to have the less upright/alert posture it's still pretty common to have little pullets/cockerels that act like the opposite gender. I've had my fare share of pullets that I was sure were cockerels as chicks (little stinkers fought with all the cockerels and would attack my hand as well when I fed/watered or otherwise interacted with the chicks. I've had really tiny skittish cockerels as well that I was sure were going to be pullets.

I've started relying more on combs and streamers since behavior is sometimes deceiving (still useful though).

Thank you for replying. I really appreciate your input. I have been hoping and praying this chick keeps it's patient, calm, soothing, and sweet personality regardless of gender. Please remind me, when do the streamers, and combs become apparent? Before the crow or egg usually? The difference in appearance between Hatchery stock and breeder stock is crazy!
This little cutie is 31 days old today.
Edited to say that my question is not a very well thought out question. Please overlook me. That answer is obvious and I apologize

 

[LynnaePB]

Thank you for replying. I really appreciate your input. I have been hoping and praying this chick keeps it's patient, calm, soothing, and sweet personality regardless of gender. Please remind me, when do the streamers, and combs become apparent? Before the crow or egg usually? The difference in appearance between Hatchery stock and breeder stock is crazy!
This little cutie is 31 days old today.
View attachment 2266584

Aww what a cute little puffball!

I guess it probably depends a lot on the line but I've hatched out silkies from at least 8 different breeders now and by 12 weeks I usually see the beginning of streamers coming in. Girls often go through a stage where the back of the crest has some longer feathers, they won't be as long or obvious as the streamers on a male though. Combs can come in at all sorts of times. I've seen combs coming in as early as 3 weeks and as late as around 3-4 months but most of my boys start developing theirs by 12 weeks and often earlier. Sometimes the boys will crow pretty early as well (I've had chicks just days old crow, pretty funny), they typically don't do so consistently until they are at least 3+ months old though.

I got these pictures of some of my grow outs several months ago when trying to help show differences between young males and females. I'm including them in case they are helpful to you.

These pictures are more useful for the fluffier non hatchery silkies but it sounds like your little cutie is from good lines so hopefully these will be helpful. It really is amazing the difference between a lot of hatchery stock and stock from a decent breeder. The crest roundness I've noticed usually doesn't apply so much with hatchery stock.

Here is a little pullet at 10 weeks. She has a small comb, no streamers and a really nice round crest.

And here is a little 10 week old cockerel, his crest is more swept back and you can see streamers coming in. His comb is more developed as well.

Here is another male that was around 11-12 weeks where the streamers have come in more and are even more obvious.

And lastly a 6 month old male that shows streamers pretty well (they are the white tipped longer feathers in his crest).

I picked some of my most obvious pullets/cockerels to demonstrate. A lot of little pullets won't have quite that big and round of a crest at 10 weeks (at least half of mine don't)

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Nice you got so many pullets! Glad you have homes lined up for the extra boys as well!

I'm breeding and growing out semi large groups and it can be so hard finding homes for the boys. In a recent hatch of 5 all of the combs are looking big, I'm not going to be surprised if that entire hatch is male. I've got 3 too young to tell and hopefully 4 on their way (incubating them now) I'm really hoping at least a few turn out to be pullets.

Crossing my fingers for you, too!

 

[LynnaePB]

Crossing my fingers for you, too!

Thank you!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Aww what a cute little puffball!

I guess it probably depends a lot on the line but I've hatched out silkies from at least 8 different breeders now and by 12 weeks I usually see the beginning of streamers coming in. Girls often go through a stage where the back of the crest has some longer feathers, they won't be as long or obvious as the streamers on a male though. Combs can come in at all sorts of times. I've seen combs coming in as early as 3 weeks and as late as around 3-4 months but most of my boys start developing theirs by 12 weeks and often earlier. Sometimes the boys will crow pretty early as well (I've had chicks just days old crow, pretty funny), they typically don't do so consistently until they are at least 3+ months old though.

I got these pictures of some of my grow outs several months ago when trying to help show differences between young males and females. I'm including them in case they are helpful to you.

These pictures are more useful for the fluffier non hatchery silkies but it sounds like your little cutie is from good lines so hopefully these will be helpful. It really is amazing the difference between a lot of hatchery stock and stock from a decent breeder. The crest roundness I've noticed usually doesn't apply so much with hatchery stock.

Here is a little pullet at 10 weeks. She has a small comb, no streamers and a really nice round crest.

View attachment 2266607
View attachment 2266609

And here is a little 10 week old cockerel, his crest is more swept back and you can see streamers coming in. His comb is more developed as well.

View attachment 2266612View attachment 2266613

Here is another male that was around 11-12 weeks where the streamers have come in more and are even more obvious.

View attachment 2266620

And lastly a 6 month old male that shows streamers pretty well (they are the white tipped longer feathers in his crest).

View attachment 2266625

I picked some of my most obvious pullets/cockerels to demonstrate. A lot of little pullets won't have quite that big and round of a crest at 10 weeks (at least half of mine don't)

OH my goodness! So gorgeous! Thank you so much! That is so helpful.

 

[LynnaePB]

OH my goodness! So gorgeous! Thank you so much! That is so helpful.

Thank you! And you are very welcome, I'm glad it was helpful!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

One more question... As you can see, my chick doesn't have 5 toes like most silkies. Is this just something that happens in Hatchery and quality breeder stock?

 

[LynnaePB]

One more question... As you can see, my chick doesn't have 5 toes like most silkies. Is this just something that happens in Hatchery and quality breeder stock?

Yeah it just pops up sometimes. The polydactyly gene is finicky from what I hear and sometimes doesn't manifest well (resulting in 4 toes) while other times it will go overboard and add extra toes (6 or even more isn't too uncommon). There is probably more to it but that is the extent of what I know about it at this time. I've had pretty good luck with the eggs hatched from my flock but I got more 4 or 6 toed chicks from shipped hatching eggs.I've heard incubator fluctuations can affect it and I wonder if perhaps the jostling from shipping might as well. Sometimes it will pass on and a lot of breeders don't like to use them for breeding but if you plan to breed and its a nice bird otherwise I would think it would be worth seeing how the offspring turn out. Of course if it's just a pet it really doesn't matter.