Why Are Silkies So Hard To Sex?

[AmyJane725]

Just wondering why these guys are one of, if not the, hardest breed to sex.

Do females not necessarily feather out faster than males, do male combs/wattles not grow in faster?

How old before you really know? I've heard basically when you hear crowing or see egg laying. How old is that? 6 months?

 

[Gray Farms]

With their crests, beards, and unique feathers they don't show the "typical" early signs of being a cockerel or not. They can be typically sexed with fairly good accuracy at around 4 months. Sometimes earlier especially with non-bearded Silkies.

 

[drumstick diva]

Four to five months is a good age- but, sometimes you can't be certain till they crow or lay eggs.

 

[NNYchick]

They are late bloomers and do not start getting typical gender characteristics until the hormones kick in and unfortunately that’s between 4-6 months.

 

[AmyJane725]

Well, I guess I'll see you guys in 3-5 months when mine are old enough. XD I've got 10 of them...

They are supposed to be crestless and beardless though, so we'll see. Most of them have single combs. I think there's only two walnut combs in there.

 

[Gray Farms]

If they are crestless and single combed then they aren't pure Silkie.

 

[AmyJane725]

If they are crestless and single combed then they aren't pure Silkie.

The guy at the hatchery said they're a mix of multiple kinds of silkies, but he didn't get any more specific than that. These ones are bred to be broilers, kinda. They're gonna be 3.5 lbs as adults, so big for bantams, but still smaller than LF.

 

[Gray Farms]

There only two kinds of Silkies, Bearded and Non-Bearded. All Silkies are crested and have walnut combs. Anything else indicates crossing or very poor breeding.

 

[AmyJane725]

There only two kinds of Silkies, Bearded and Non-Bearded. All Silkies are crested and have walnut combs. Anything else indicates crossing or very poor breeding.

I believe you. I was just telling you what he told me.
I wonder what they're crossed with.

 

[NNYchick]

I believe you. I was just telling you what he told me.
I wonder what they're crossed with.

I have seen the Silkies you are referring. They have dark skin and Silkie feathers but that’s about where they stop being like Silkies but that can be a good thing to because they usually will roost and are better free rangers because they can see and have a more aggressive personality. I got a few by accident when I first started with Silkies and rehome them because at 8 weeks old they were 3x the size of my other Silkies and aggressive to them. Not sure if it’s true but I heard they are crossed with leghorns to serve the Asian meat market demands. Unfortunately I can’t help you sex them as I didn’t keep mine long enough to figure out what I had.