Silkie thread!

[Muzzie]

I hatched two partridge one had the eyeliner and the other did not and both grew up to be Roosters they were a year old on April 8

 

[Lady Chickadee]

I love the color of this one! Want to send it my way?

lol
The white one looks like a rooster to me.

I know the white and buff ones are roosters, I was wondering about the 3 month olds .Thanks! The buff one you like is actually going to a show this weekend, along with the white one, another white roo, and a blue hen.

 

[Whittni]

I loved the silkie meets strange little human story.

 

[Basel]

Hi All!

I just became the proud owner of 5 silkies chicks!

I got all of them at about 2 days old. I did everything I could to guess at which were pullets. I got them at a feed store and they get them from a hatchery. Pet quality only!!

The white one was a little bigger than the others--I'm not sure if s/he was born a day or so earlier perhaps. This white one has always continued to be bigger and has feathered out a lot more than the others. Even tail feathers longer and sooner. The down on "her" head [and all the others] was always round and flat to her head. There were others in the bin that had noticeably tall, straight up, fuzzy down spikes/fur on the top of their heads, but the ones I chose did not have this hair-do. This white one is now about 2 1/2 to 3 weeks old and is starting to get to fuzz standing straight up on the top of her head.
Is this just a normal progression to getting feathers, or might this be a sign of a roo?

The others have wing feathering, still round down-hair-do's, and tail feathers started. They are still a bit smaller in size than the white.

The buff one however is the same as the others except no tail feathers at all! The others' tails are about 1 inch long now and the buff's barely visible.
Is this a sign of a roo?

I know it's all a guess at this point, but I am wondering of course!!
Thanks so much and I love looking at all these gorgeous silkies!!

Congrats on your new babies! They change very drastically, week from week. It is really too early to say what you may have, but if you post some pics, maybe someone can give a guess? The pullets here have the rounder, poofier hairdos, whereas the boys crests tend to stand straight up as the pin feathers come in. They will go through some pretty strange stages, ugly even, but when they are done feathering, you will be able to tell more. As for your Buff's tail??? Is someone helping her to not grow feathers, as in plucking them?

Thanks Debbi!

OK, some pictures. Sorry they're not so great, but the first two show the white silkie next to the buff. You can see the tail [and wing] difference. Again, they were sent as day old chicks so they should be within a day or two of each other in age, right? You can also see that the white one now is getting a bit of "poof" on the top of her/his head. This "poof"was not ever there before [but other chicks in the bin at the store had it 3 times this high at 2 days old!]. The "poof" is new and I was wondering if it is part of the normal feathering [or a new roo trait].

So, I've read that males feather out in their tails later. That would mean the white is possibly a she! And the buff chick a he. BUT the white is larger than the other 3 by a bit, and is now sporting a new "poof" which could be roo things. Or just new feathers!

Oh, and the buff is not getting her tail "pruned" by any well meaning brooder-mates! It's just beginning to sprout little fluff now!

I'd just like to get another or two now if people vote that any are roo-like, so that they can all grow up together and not fight with new introductions... Thoughts???

 

[peepblessed]

I live in the middle of farm country and have mostly large fowl. My farmer neighbours are gradually getting used to the fact that my chickens aren't really just livestock to me - although they DO appreciate the eggs and the culls. But my Silkie avatar, Elliot, did me proud today. One of the old time farmers came by with her grand-kids to pick up some eggs. My birds free-range and as chickens go, they are nutty friendly but NOT used to "short" humans with loud voices and excess energy. My Blue Copper Marans cock behaved. He was worried and did lots of humming but he didn't give anybody any grief. Elliot, on the other hand, marched right up, introduced himself and was happy to be petted and carried awkwardly. Goofy boy. The kids were THRILLED. New Silkie fans, in the making!! (Although grandma was quick to take me aside and say she didn't need any Silkie culls. Too many feathers on those legs and no comb!

)

I DO love livin' in farm country!!!

Great story!!!

 

[peepblessed]

Thanks Debbi!

OK, some pictures. Sorry they're not so great, but the first two show the white silkie next to the buff. You can see the tail [and wing] difference. Again, they were sent as day old chicks so they should be within a day or two of each other in age, right? You can also see that the white one now is getting a bit of "poof" on the top of her/his head. This "poof"was not ever there before [but other chicks in the bin at the store had it 3 times this high at 2 days old!]. The "poof" is new and I was wondering if it is part of the normal feathering [or a new roo trait].

So, I've read that males feather out in their tails later. That would mean the white is possibly a she! And the buff chick a he. BUT the white is larger than the other 3 by a bit, and is now sporting a new "poof" which could be roo things. Or just new feathers!

Oh, and the buff is not getting her tail "pruned" by any well meaning brooder-mates! It's just beginning to sprout little fluff now!

I'd just like to get another or two now if people vote that any are roo-like, so that they can all grow up together and not fight with new introductions... Thoughts???

Tail growth is not a sex indicator in silkies. Crests (poofs) develope at different rates on different chicks. Silkies roosters that grow up together generally get along great. There are really no early sex indicators in silkies except that some males develop an early comb. Any red in the comb is usually a sign of a roo.

 

[ThaiChick]

[COLOR=800000]I have found it to be very unreliable. I have tried it. [/COLOR]

Can you elaborate? I would love to have at least an educated guess as to what my babies are.

 

[Sanna]

I know the white and buff ones are roosters, I was wondering about the 3 month olds .Thanks! The buff one you like is actually going to a show this weekend, along with the white one, another white roo, and a blue hen.

Good luck with the show!

 

[Cynthia12]

I live in the middle of farm country and have mostly large fowl. My farmer neighbours are gradually getting used to the fact that my chickens aren't really just livestock to me - although they DO appreciate the eggs and the culls. But my Silkie avatar, Elliot, did me proud today. One of the old time farmers came by with her grand-kids to pick up some eggs. My birds free-range and as chickens go, they are nutty friendly but NOT used to "short" humans with loud voices and excess energy. My Blue Copper Marans cock behaved. He was worried and did lots of humming but he didn't give anybody any grief. Elliot, on the other hand, marched right up, introduced himself and was happy to be petted and carried awkwardly. Goofy boy. The kids were THRILLED. New Silkie fans, in the making!! (Although grandma was quick to take me aside and say she didn't need any Silkie culls. Too many feathers on those legs and no comb!

)

I DO love livin' in farm country!!!

Too cute! And funny. I can see my grandmother saying that back in the day. She was quite the farm gal. Beside, I really don't think they had Silkies back in the early 60's...did they? LOL...

 

[Lady Chickadee]

Good luck with the show!

Thanks!