Silkie thread!

[Puddin Fluff]

Occasionally a silkie can be sexed at 7 or 8 wks. but usually they can be sexed at 3 or 4 months. Some times you have to wait until they crow or lay an egg! Welcome to the silkie thread! I wouldn't hang around here too long though as there are lots of silkie enablers here and you will end up getting so many more you won't know where to put them!

Thanks for the response. What am I looking for as far as their comb and crest to sex them? Will their comb be larger for a roo? It is so minimal to start with. Also, will the roo feathers be glossier? the blacks look that way, but I can't tell on the whites.

We wanted more but they did not hatch. We started with 18 eggs, three hatched, one never grew and didn't make it a week, the second developed wry neck and didn't recover. So, we have one tiny fluff ball in with Favorelles, Houdans and Araucanas. You know how chicken math is.

 

[marquisella]

None of my Silkies are broody now, but I put 12 Silkie eggs under a broodie Wyandotte. The only thing I'm worried about is that she might be too big to hatch out the chicks...break the eggs, or squish the chicks...should I be worried?

 

[peepblessed]

Thanks for the response. What am I looking for as far as their comb and crest to sex them? Will their comb be larger for a roo? It is so minimal to start with. Also, will the roo feathers be glossier? the blacks look that way, but I can't tell on the whites.

We wanted more but they did not hatch. We started with 18 eggs, three hatched, one never grew and didn't make it a week, the second developed wry neck and didn't recover. So, we have one tiny fluff ball in with Favorelles, Houdans and Araucanas. You know how chicken math is.

Unless they are hatchery/feed store type chicks the females will develop very little comb. The males combs usually start to swell a bit around 8 - 10 weeks. Between 3 and 4 months the males usually develop little "streamers" off the back of their crests that look like stray hairs. Some males are very late bloomers and will look like a female till 6 months. I can usually start to tell mine at 10-12 weeks as the girls start getting pretty quite and the boys stay active. There is also a subtle beak shape that we are just learning is an indicator. The males do get some gloss especially on any non silkies feathers (females too), but you usually know it's a male before that. Some males don't have a very round shaped crest though the better quality ones often do. Both males and females play fight but the males seem to continue to do it as they age and the females get quiet. That's my experience but others have different things they look for.

 

[peepblessed]

I just had my broodies hatch out some silkie chicks - 5 of them do not have vaulted heads, but 1 did. These are obviously pet quality silkies - but I'm sure my kids will think they're great.

My question is about the 5 without the vaulted crest - do they have the same vulnerability to being pecked on the head that the vaulted crest silky has?

Thanks!
Bobbie

The ones with out a vault are not as delicate in my limited experience.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

One of my new porcelain chicks, I'm a very proud new member of the Silkie owners club

The 5 of them together, I can't believe these homely little chicks will turn into beautiful Silkies one day!

Thanks for looking- I'm sure I'll be visiting this thread alot!

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Thanks! Right now I am very happy the he/she is tough and doesn't let the bigger chicks boss it around. We love watching it run around. We shy she has snow shoes on. She loves to be held and will fall asleep on your lap. I am sure our future holds morr.

 

[peepblessed]

One of my new porcelain chicks, I'm a very proud new member of the Silkie owners club

The 5 of them together, I can't believe these homely little chicks will turn into beautiful Silkies one day!

Thanks for looking- I'm sure I'll be visiting this thread alot!

Oh, they go through some hilarious stages but they every day. So fun to watch them. Beautiful colors you have there!!! Hope you'll post more as they grow!!

 

[peepblessed]

Thanks! Right now I am very happy the he/she is tough and doesn't let the bigger chicks boss it around. We love watching it run around. We shy she has snow shoes on. She loves to be held and will fall asleep on your lap. I am sure our future holds morr.

I'm sure it does! They're like potato chips!!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Thank you! I'll be more then happy to post more pictures as they grow, y'all may even get tired of seeing them The breeder (who's a fellow BYC member) had GORGEOUS birds, so I'm super excited to watch them go through all of their little chicky changes!

 

[peepblessed]

Thank you! I'll be more then happy to post more pictures as they grow, y'all may even get tired of seeing them

The breeder (who's a fellow BYC member) had GORGEOUS birds, so I'm super excited to watch them go through all of their little chicky changes!

I have two 10 week old porcelains and one that's 10 days old. My older ones have changed color a lot!