Silkie thread!

[SilkiesRcool]

I’ve heard that partridge determines sex but no one has ever said how. I heard they have black but where do they have the black? Thank you for the input

 

[JudysMuscovy]

@Hinotori so I decided to put two eggs that are on day 19 under her instead of waiting for them to hatch, so I will see what happens. I didn't realize she laid another egg and not sure when cause I thought I gathered the last one on Monday, so once these two hatch I will just toss the one.

 

[Hinotori]

Male on arm. Females in seat. Young trio around 5 months old by the looks of them.

Females can be a bit darker. I have darker ones myself. I'll go take a picture in a bit.

Black heads are fairly common, but if you read the Standard of Perfection, it's against standard. I thought I had eliminated it as I hadn't had any chicks with it for a few years. Apparently it's recessive. Last hatch had two. Male and female. And my luck is that they have turned out to be great looking birds in every other way

 

[Hinotori]

I used marked eggs as dummy eggs and change them every other day so no real development when I have eggs I really want hatched in the bator.

For hens in the flock pens I also toss the broodies off the nest once a day when I put down scratch so they are used to it. They don't notice when they come back.

 

[Hinotori]

No New Years hatch for me this year. Had all broodies quit a week before last year and no one to take the chicks so ended up brooding in my bathroom for 3 months. The ecoglow got it's use at that point

 

[FirstTimeClucky]

That red and as large of a comb at 9 weeks, I'd say male. Cross your fingers that it's an early developing female.

In my line the fully adult females have combs like that. I dont know how it runs in the line that bird is from

I wonder if Showgirls sometimes show traits of their naked neck ancestors? I recently saw a pic of a splash sizzle Showgirl roo who had pink head and neck and a pink walnut comb. Anyway, neither of my two almost fully grown Silkie pullets have that much comb development even now. If this little one turns out to be a guy, I'll see if I can breed him to my pullets before rehoming him if he makes too much noise. Since he's a sizzle frizzle I'm guessing there will be a breeder who wants him. His own breeder may take him as well, since she nearly kept him for her own breeding program.

 

[Hinotori]

I wonder if Showgirls sometimes show traits of their naked neck ancestors? I recently saw a pic of a splash sizzle Showgirl roo who had pink head and neck and a pink walnut comb. Anyway, neither of my two almost fully grown Silkie pullets have that much comb development even now. If this little one turns out to be a guy, I'll see if I can breed him to my pullets before rehoming him if he makes too much noise. Since he's a sizzle frizzle I'm guessing there will be a breeder who wants him. His own breeder may take him as well, since she nearly kept him for her own breeding program.

That's great. The combs tend to tell the tale early on more than anything. That's how I knew the three black cockerels I recently bought were boys even though they are young.

 

[Hinotori]

Other colored partridge females I have. Young pullets under 6 months. Left is a blue partridge, middle is the color I'm actually aiming for on the hens, right has the black head. The sun this time of the year tends to make it look a bit more brown.

 

[JudysMuscovy]

Other colored partridge females I have. Young pullets under 6 months. Left is a blue partridge, middle is the color I'm actually aiming for on the hens, right has the black head. The sun this time of the year tens to make it look a bit more brown.

View attachment 1206413

they are beautiful

 

[SilkiesRcool]

So black heads mean male or that’s not to breed standards? Thank you for the help just trying to figure it all out.