Can anyone tell me the gender and or breed of my little 4 week old silkie cross darling?

[Brookie-09]

That rooster and the Polish hens could produce dark-legged chicks of either gender. I can't see the leg color on the Japanese to tell about them. But with the Polish as possible mothers, we can't trust the chick's dark leg color to tell anything about gender. (A chick with light legs would have to be male, and would have a Japanese mother.)

Given that the father is white, I don't think we're going to have much luck figuring out who the mother was. Some white chickens produce white chicks with EVERY other possible parent, and that might be true of this Silkie rooster. I think he would produce at least some white chicks with any possible hen.

When the chick grows up, you might be able to tell a bit more by things like how much crest it has (more crest is likely with two crested parents, less crest is likely with a crested/non-crested cross). The body shape may tell something too (Japanese have those really high tails, while Polish are less so.) But you may never be completel

 

[NatJ]

Siblings of my baby (same hatch batch)

Do they have the same parents? That second chick looks frizzled, which means it must have a frizzled parent. The hens are certainly not frizzled, and I didn't think the rooster was either (but I'm not as good at spotting frizzling on Silkie feathers.)

If they have the same father, that definitely shows that he CAN produce non-white chicks as well!

 

[Brookie-09]

You have been incredibly helpful and I have gained some good insight from your knowledge. I thought it would be difficult to be able to tell who the mother of the chick was, but at least I know what to keep an eye out for as the little one grows.
I don’t know if this is relevant or not (gender wise), but my baby has dark skin all over, not just on the feet. Does that mean that if the mum is a polish that the babies male and female could still have that? I hope I’m making sense, im confusing myself at this point

 

[Brookie-09]

Do they have the same parents? That second chick looks frizzled, which means it must have a frizzled parent. The hens are certainly not frizzled, and I didn't think the rooster was either (but I'm not as good at spotting frizzling on Silkie feathers.)

If they have the same father, that definitely shows that he CAN produce non-white chicks as

Do they have the same parents? That second chick looks frizzled, which means it must have a frizzled parent. The hens are certainly not frizzled, and I didn't think the rooster was either (but I'm not as good at spotting frizzling on Silkie feathers.)

If they have the same father, that definitely shows that he CAN produce non-white chicks as well!

Well…. Here is the kicker. Is it possible he fathered only the frizzled looking baby? The other two babies have silkie toes so that means the silkie definitely has to be their dad? But the frizzled looking baby may have a different dad? All the eggs were in one nest, but I guess that doesn’t mean anything solid.

 

[NatJ]

my baby has dark skin all over, not just on the feet. Does that mean that if the mum is a polish that the babies male and female could still have that?

Yes, both genders could have that.

The gene that causes light feet would block the black in all parts of the skin. But the gene that allows dark feet also allows the black (from the Silkie) to show in the skin on the rest of the chick.

I hope I’m making sense, im confusing myself at this point

I think I understand you.

I've had some experience confusing myself with genetics, too

Well…. Here is the kicker. Is it possible he fathered only the frizzled looking baby? The other two babies have silkie toes so that means the silkie definitely has to be their dad? But the frizzled looking baby may have a different dad? All the eggs were in one nest, but I guess that doesn’t mean anything solid.

Ah, yes. That solves it.

Frizzled feathers means frizzled father.

An extra toe on each foot means a father or mother with extra toes. Feathered feet mean a father or mother with feathered feet. So if all hens have clean feet without extra toes, then extra toes and feathered feet mean Silkie father.

If there are multiple roosters in the pen, it is possible for chicks to have different fathers even if they have the same mother. And if the eggs are all in one nest, they may come from one hen, or they may come from several hens. So any two chicks from that clutch might share one parent, two parents, or no parents.

 

[Brookie-09]

Yes, both genders could have that.

The gene that causes light feet would block the black in all parts of the skin. But the gene that allows dark feet also allows the black (from the Silkie) to show in the skin on the rest of the chick.

I think I understand you.

I've had some experience confusing myself with genetics, too


Ah, yes. That solves it.

Frizzled feathers means frizzled father.

An extra toe on each foot means a father or mother with extra toes. Feathered feet mean a father or mother with feathered feet. So if all hens have clean feet without extra toes, then extra toes and feathered feet mean Silkie father.

If there are multiple roosters in the pen, it is possible for chicks to have different fathers even if they have the same mother. And if the eggs are all in one nest, they may come from one hen, or they may come from several hens. So any two chicks from that clutch might share one parent, two parents, or no parents.

Once again, thank you! You have been so kind and helpful. I guess time will tell the gender and parentage of my little darling and I guess two roosters have shared their genes amongst that egg batch All so interesting and confusing all in one!

 

[Brookie-09]

Updated pics of my baby

 

[Quavo]

Hi everyone, I am relatively new to owning chickens and am very curious if anyone can shed some light on the possible gender of my 4 week old silkie cross?
Father of this little chick was a silkie and the mother was either a polish or a Japanese bantam.
Baby has black skin and has the 5 toes like a silkie

You can't sex Silkies until they're about 9 weeks old (or 3 months old) but, it might be a pullet, like another person said.

 

[Brookie-09]

You can't sex Silkies until they're about 9 weeks old (or 3 months old) but, it might be a pullet, like another person said.

Thank you for your response. This baby is only 5 weeks so I still have quite a wait

 

[Quavo]

Thank you for your response. This baby is only 5 weeks so I still have quite a wait

You're welcome.