What gender is my silkie?

[Allegra17]

The farm sold this chicken as a hen but the wattles are big for a hen from what I’m reading. Can anyone sex my chicken? Also, do are you able to guesstimate the age?

 

[nchls school]

The picture shows a hen. There are no male characteristics. Wattle size can vary, but these wattles and comb are not that of a rooster.

As to age, once mature a well cared for, healthy ten year old will look the same as a one year old. For this reason I always advise people to buy hatching eggs, chicks, or immature birds. There are many who sell their old birds as younger. I would never buy mature birds from someone I did not know. Buyer beware!

 

[Allegra17]

The picture shows a hen. There are no male characteristics. Wattle size can vary, but these wattles and comb are not that of a rooster.

As to age, once mature a well cared for, healthy ten year old will look the same as a one year old. For this reason I always advise people to buy hatching eggs, chicks, or immature birds. There are many who sell their old birds as younger. I would never buy mature birds from someone I did not know. Buyer beware!

I was a novice and she was sick… definitely regret the purchase but we have grown to love her so we don’t want to give her back. She has a better life here than at the farm she came from. Next time, definitely going to get chicks. They sold her as a 4 month old. Do you think that’s the age or do you think she’s closer to 1? She hasn’t laid any eggs yet.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Looks like a hen!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

The farm sold this chicken as a hen but the wattles are big for a hen from what I’m reading. Can anyone sex my chicken? Also, do are you able to guesstimate the age?

Looks like a hen.. wattles are larger on non bearded Silkies than bearded because the bearding gene inhibits wattle size. With her wattle size, comb is non existent. Boys get much larger than this in non bearded boys.

Does she have only 4 toes? Her feathers still look full silkied, so that could be just a "pet quality" issue and not actually indicative of breed., even though that wasn't part of the question. Ohp, I zoomed in and I do see that little 5th toe nail poking out even though feathering is lacking. She's a Silkie.

Sometimes leg scales can be an indicator to age.. except as noted by the first poster condition matters. Over all she looks youngish, from what I can see in that photo.. no beak overgrowth,

They sold her as a 4 month old.

How long have you had her now? I was gonna estimate 6 months. perhaps.. not yet a year old.

ETA: How did I miss the word Silkie in the heading?!

 

[Allegra17]

Looks like a hen.. wattles are larger on non bearded Silkies than bearded because the bearding gene inhibits wattle size. With her wattle size, comb is non existent. Boys get much larger than this in non bearded boys.

Does she have only 4 toes? Her feathers still look full silkied, so that could be just a "pet quality" issue and not actually indicative of breed., even though that wasn't part of the question. Ohp, I zoomed in and I do see that little 5th toe nail poking out even though feathering is lacking. She's a Silkie.

Sometimes leg scales can be an indicator to age.. except as noted by the first poster condition matters. Over all she looks youngish, from what I can see in that photo.. no beak overgrowth,


How long have you had her now? I was gonna estimate 6 months. perhaps.. not yet a year old.

ETA: How did I miss the word Silkie in the heading?!

Thanks!! Glad she’s a hen. I’ve only had her 2 weeks. She looked young to me but I was curious how close to laying she might be. I guess only time will tell!

 

[nchls school]

I was a novice and she was sick… definitely regret the purchase but we have grown to love her so we don’t want to give her back. She has a better life here than at the farm she came from. Next time, definitely going to get chicks. They sold her as a 4 month old. Do you think that’s the age or do you think she’s closer to 1? She hasn’t laid any eggs yet.

Silkies are hard to judge with age, but I would guess her older than 4 months because of the wattles. Combs and wattles usually develop with pullets around egg laying age-6 to 8 months.

 

[Allegra17]

Great thanks!! How do I know if she’s a bantam?

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Great thanks!! How do I know if she’s a bantam?

If you’re in the US, they’re generally bantam. They’re usually under 5 pounds