Silkies

[ESofVA]

At what age do you start trying to sex silkies by means other than internally? What do you look for? The distinguishing characteristics?

 

[ChickyBoy417]

Well one of the distinguishing characteristics to tell silkie's gender apart is by there comb. Females will just look like a neck with a head with a beak sticking out. Males will have this blob of black skin on there nose/head area. I don't know what age exactly because characteristics show at different times, depending on the traits. A picture would help.

 

[ESofVA]

I don't have any old enough to determine sex. I was just wondering what to look for when they are old enough and about what age I can start looking. Mine are waaaaay too young.
OK...so pullets don't really have an obvious comb whereas the roos do. About what age does this difference start...weeks, months? a ballpark # or range.
Anything else?
Thanks!!

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

I actually just got a lesson on this. Females will have a more compact poof on there head where the males develop 'streamers' making the poof bigger and fluffier looking. Also, the comb on the Pullets stays relatively flat where the boys get more lumps.

I am hatching 4 Silkie eggs right now and live inside city limits (no Roos) so I had to find out too.

 

[CibolaChooks]

I actually just got a lesson on this. Females will have a more compact poof on there head where the males develop 'streamers' making the poof bigger and fluffier looking. Also, the comb on the Pullets stays relatively flat where the boys get more lumps.
I am hatching 4 Silkie eggs right now and live inside city limits (no Roos) so I had to find out too.

are your mature hens hatching them or are you using an incubator. i was wondering how well these ladys do at hatching eggs.

 

[ramirezframing]

mine are my egg hatchers lol they work great for me and my parents

 

[CibolaChooks]

mine are my egg hatchers lol they work great for me and my parents

How many eggs do you hatch under them. do they like to take a break or will they be upset till they can get more eggs under them .

 

[hdowden]

I actually just got a lesson on this. Females will have a more compact poof on there head where the males develop 'streamers' making the poof bigger and fluffier looking. Also, the comb on the Pullets stays relatively flat where the boys get more lumps.
I am hatching 4 Silkie eggs right now and live inside city limits (no Roos) so I had to find out too.

this doesnt happen till they are about 4 months old


you can determine gender by size...cockerels tend to be bigger than the pullets post pics and might be able to tell you their gender. need comb shots and body shots and a group shot

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

are your mature hens hatching them or are you using an incubator. i was wondering how well these ladys do at hatching eggs. 

I have a bantam brahma hatching them.

But I have heard that Silkie hens are top notch broodies. That's part of why I am hatching these eggs. Looking at keeping one to find out first hand!

 

[CibolaChooks]

I have a bantam brahma hatching them.

But I have heard that Silkie hens are top notch broodies. That's part of why I am hatching these eggs. Looking at keeping one to find out first hand!

Lol i want to find out first hand also so i bought five chicks. I Was just looking for some reassurances I've done good. I want to breed and am looking to use birds for the first few hatches. I have this vision of a bunch of barred Cochin's and silkies all lined up hatching eggs for me. lmao. I know ill probably be let down but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed.