Silver Laced Wyandotte - how to tell boys from girls??

[arlee453]

Hmmmm... will be watching those combs closely over the next week. So far, they seem fairly the same between the two That's a bit reassuring since we really do not want any roos (well, I do, but the neighbors probably don't...)

The coloration is just so strikingly different on Oneida compared both to Crystal Chicken and also the two gold laced we have that are marked pretty much the same as Crystal.

Thanks
Susan

 

[TheKidAndDame]

I have 3 SLW that are 4 weeks old today. I also seemed to get one that is much darker than the other two. None of them have a very distinctive comb at this stage, however one does have some small wattles. All 3 of them are very friendly and jump right up on you when walk into the coop. I will also try and get photos if I can get them to stay still for 5 seconds.

 

[TheKidAndDame]

Here is Freckles, the "extra chick". This is the darkest of the three and is also the runt, about 2/3 the size of the others.

Scooter, the one with the most distinct wattles of the three.

And lastly, SLW3, no name as of yet.

 

[Ma]

We have 5 SLW, they were 8 weeks old yesterday. There is no question who the roo is in this group. His comb and wattles are much more developed and bright red compared to the girls. In fact, by 3 weeks old we knew he was a he. His comb and wattle developement was a bit beyond the rest, but it was the COLOR that tipped the scales. His were so much different, brighter than the others.

Looking at your pictures, I don't see the bright red that ours had. And feather coloration, btw, there is not one of ours that resembles the other, including the roo! And they are well feathered now at 8 weeks.

As far as behavior, no signs of aggression or domination yet. And no crowing either, not even an attemt. He is just as sweet as the girls at this point. We also have 4 BO chicks. We got all 9 at 1 day old. This is the way we ordred them, 8 hens and 1 roo. So far so good............

But at least for us in this breed it was definately the color of the comb and wattles that determined sex at a very eary age.

HTH
Ma

 

[arlee453]

Well, after a very particular comb inspection in the brightness of daylight, I can say that their combs are developing pretty much the same between the two, and neither is very red at all yet.

Same for all the other girls - their combs match the other of the same breed, even though their sizes and colors may not match exactly.

I'm very hopeful we have all girls as we ordered! So far, so good....

Susan

 

[ManOfTheJerseyGiant]

With the wyandottes I think they are both hens because of the comb.

 

[speckledhen]

SLW cockerels get much more white in the hackle area, almost like a cape. They're just colored differently after a certain point.