Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[chickengr]

Thank you. First time having silkies and I was like this is the only one with this huge crest and my favorite I'm just positive that means it will be a cockerel. At least I don't have to worry about that being a early indication.

wattles are a good gender indication if chickens are not bearded.

 

[Hinotori]

Thank you. First time having silkies and I was like this is the only one with this huge crest and my favorite I'm just positive that means it will be a cockerel. At least I don't have to worry about that being a early indication.

Males often get streamers coming off the back of their head. Actual crest size doesn't say male or female. Most of my males have big ones and I can't tell them from female until they get the combs in or get streamers.

Except I mostly just have partridge color where feather color sexes them long before you can tell by characteristics.

 

[carrie2017]

Thanks for the info. I'm slowly learning all about these cuties. They are full of personality already and I have no roosters yet so even if "big hairdo" is a cockerel it will be staying. I have 5 they all look the same except the one with the bigger crest. I look to see if I can see any waddles because there feathers aren't to long where there waddles would be so far. They are about 6 weeks and non have any signs so far. I'm trying to be patient but I'm so excited to know and I've kind of put of naming them until I know, hopefully by then I can tell them all apart. For now I just call them the cotton balls

 

[Hinotori]

Here are two 13 week olds male, then female. Crests look similar at this age.

Mature male. This one looks like he has a mullet with the streamers on the back. I ran out to get a picture of the streamers before it got full dark.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Here are two 13 week olds male, then female. Crests look similar at this age.
View attachment 3125404View attachment 3125405


Mature male. This one looks like he has a mullet with the streamers on the back. I ran out to get a picture of the streamers before it got full dark.

View attachment 3125416

Wow they're gorgeous!! they really look like all pullets when young so what colour difference is it between the sexes with your patridge?

 

[Hinotori]

Wow they're gorgeous!! they really look like all pullets when young so what colour difference is it between the sexes with your patridge?

Males are more orangey and girls are more tan. Males get black in on chest unless they are that evil orange variation that pops up in partridge.

Smaller chicks that come in with juvenile body feathers dark banded brown are female. I can sex those around 5 weeks. More obvious orange in juvenile body feathers is male.

I do get some that are very pale on the orange or the tan so I have to wait until after they start getting adult feathers in.

I've only had a couple that were androgynous up to 15 weeks. Then secondary sex characteristics started showing. I didn't breed them. Poor coloring on feathers.

Wattles can be a big giveaway, even on bearded silkies. They do have little wattles on the males. The tiny little ridge where it is on the chicks colors in on the boys if you look carefully. I can usually guess fairly accurately by looking at the faces by 10 weeks.

I have a few whites and one partridge bird that I'd got from somewhere was carrying a copy of lavender so that has shown up rarely. The 3 hens are actually indistinguishable from the blue cream pullets I hatched last year. I don't breed for that color, but they are very pretty.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

I need silkie roo advice. So Barney has been mating, humorously, for a few weeks now.. but i think he's getting to be too rough. He will grab their neck feathers and pull, even as they are running away or screaming. Now he's showing his hackles and fighting them into submission... so, i haven't had a mature roo before, but just want feedback to confirm this sounds too aggressive. Is this just a typical young roo behavior, or not a good overall sign?

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I need silkie roo advice. So Barney has been mating, humorously, for a few weeks now.. but i think he's getting to be too rough. He will grab their neck feathers and pull, even as they are running away or screaming. Now he's showing his hackles and fighting them into submission... so, i haven't had a mature roo before, but just want feedback to confirm this sounds too aggressive. Is this just a typical young roo behavior, or not a good overall sign?

Yeah my boys have never done their hackles out to mate. How old is he again?
I've had em all the way from hatch up to a year old and not had even my most aggressive one do that way when mating.
Pulling neck feathers yes (sort of looks as if they are trying to hold on), but not the fighting.

 

[carrie2017]

Here are two 13 week olds male, then female. Crests look similar at this age.
View attachment 3125404View attachment 3125405


Mature male. This one looks like he has a mullet with the streamers on the back. I ran out to get a picture of the streamers before it got full dark.

View attachment 3125416

Your silkies are beautiful birds. Thank you for sharing the pictures. I think silkies have to just be the cutest chickens

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Males are more orangey and girls are more tan. Males get black in on chest unless they are that evil orange variation that pops up in partridge.

Smaller chicks that come in with juvenile body feathers dark banded brown are female. I can sex those around 5 weeks. More obvious orange in juvenile body feathers is male.

I do get some that are very pale on the orange or the tan so I have to wait until after they start getting adult feathers in.

I've only had a couple that were androgynous up to 15 weeks. Then secondary sex characteristics started showing. I didn't breed them. Poor coloring on feathers.

Wattles can be a big giveaway, even on bearded silkies. They do have little wattles on the males. The tiny little ridge where it is on the chicks colors in on the boys if you look carefully. I can usually guess fairly accurately by looking at the faces by 10 weeks.

I have a few whites and one partridge bird that I'd got from somewhere was carrying a copy of lavender so that has shown up rarely. The 3 hens are actually indistinguishable from the blue cream pullets I hatched last year. I don't breed for that color, but they are very pretty.

None of mine are 'evil orange' are they? So far my 3 orange ones look like pullets.. (I have posted these pics before but trying to work out if any are possible girls)

Bluey is slightly lighter orange..