Silkies

[Mamato6]

How do you tell the sex of silkies? They look completely different than the others lol. We have 3 of them that we thought should be laying by now, they're about 27 weeks so almost 7 months. Unless they're laying under the shed where we can't get to than they're not laying yet.

 

[Adrien515]

Pictures would help

 

[Mamato6]

@Adrien515 sorry I didn't have any recent ones so I went out and took some.

 

[Adrien515]

You have beautiful silkies! And I can't see the comb very well, but they appear to be girls. I have a bantam D'Uccle that lays everywhere but the nesting box. i go weeks without finding where she's currently and when I do there's a nice clutch of eggs, and I usually give the older ones to the pigs. You think I'd be able to find the eggs easy since the coup is only 5x5

 

[Adrien515]

I have to say, it's harder to sex Silkies. I usually have to wait till they're older then when I can normally start to tell. They're combs are usually the dead giveaway, but it can be hard to tell since they have walnut combs. Roosters tend to get much larger and their combs much bigger. I find their feathers are alot messier then my hens.

 

[drumstick diva]

They are old enough to lay but, silkies aren't the best layers. I think by now, any roosters would have crowed.

If you could post photos of them facing forward with crest pulled back, so the entire comb can be viewed, I think we could sex them for you. They are nice looking birds.

 

[Mamato6]

@Adrien515 if they are already laying there is absolutely no way to get the eggs. They spend a good amount of the day under the shed which is like maybe 6-10" off the ground. We live in Southern Texas so they stay where it's cooler. I really don't know if I'd be able to see them, never mind how to get them out

 

[Mamato6]

@drumstick diva I will try to get better pictures tomorrow!

 

[Mamato6]

 

[JedJackson]

They're pullets. If it's possible to make a nest box that you can put under the shed and pull out when needed, I would do so. It may make it possible to collect the eggs.