Sexing silkies seems too easy.

[K1MM11]

Hi there! I have 7 6 week old silkies and I noticed this week that 3 have significant combs (like a finger print) and deep red wattles, and 4 have nothing of either. Now as my 4th chick flock, this seems clear cut that the former are boys, and the latter girls. But this seems too easy. From what I have read online silkies are super hard to sex before maturing, but these chicks are clearly different. Has anyone experienced this? Could it change drastically in the next few months? I havnt raised silkies before. Iv added some photos featuring the stark difference in the group.

 

[Silkie Princess]

Hi there! I have 7 6 week old silkies and I noticed this week that 3 have significant combs (like a finger print) and deep red wattles, and 4 have nothing of either. Now as my 4th chick flock, this seems clear cut that the former are boys, and the latter girls. But this seems too easy. From what I have read online silkies are super hard to sex before maturing, but these chicks are clearly different. Has anyone experienced this? Could it change drastically in the next few months? I havnt raised silkies before. Iv added some photos featuring the stark difference in the group.

I don't think sexing silkies is hard. I usually know the genders by the behaviour of the chick. Some silkies are hard to sex... But most are easy (I have 15 silkies and I sexed all of them)

 

[Fluffy Lambs]

Hi there! I have 7 6 week old silkies and I noticed this week that 3 have significant combs (like a finger print) and deep red wattles, and 4 have nothing of either. Now as my 4th chick flock, this seems clear cut that the former are boys, and the latter girls. But this seems too easy. From what I have read online silkies are super hard to sex before maturing, but these chicks are clearly different. Has anyone experienced this? Could it change drastically in the next few months? I havnt raised silkies before. Iv added some photos featuring the stark difference in the group.

The ones with big combs are definitely cockerels.

 

[K1MM11]

The ones with big combs are definitely cockerels.

Thank you. Hopefully the others will be pullets time will tell!

 

[K1MM11]

The ones with big combs are definitely cockerels.

Thank you. This gives me a little confedence they seem so obviously different but there's always doubt in the back of my head that it could be so easy. I'm glad to hear it does happen this way for others. Perhaps in this family the boys develop more even earlier than average or something . Thank you for your imput!

 

[yakitori]

sexing silkie roos are generally easy. The hard one are the few roos that look like hens forever before they start developing roo features and crowing, haha

 

[LadiesAndJane]

The super fluffy bearded birds ARE hard to sex!
Beardless silkies are generally easy and hatchery quality are generally easier as well.
I have noticed in my chicks that the boys are generally heavier and bigger than the girls already at about 3 weeks of age, but I would not take bets on them that young though! Generally speaking the girls are shy and the boys are friendlier, too, even as chicks, but I have had many exceptions to this as well.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Thank you. This gives me a little confedence they seem so obviously different but there's always doubt in the back of my head that it could be so easy. I'm glad to hear it does happen this way for others. Perhaps in this family the boys develop more even earlier than average or something . Thank you for your imput!

Yeah I think some develop earlier than others...my first 4 chicks in May were 3 silkies and 1 polish...I pegged the polish and black silkie to be cockrels based on their behaviors but the silkie was nearly 6 months old before crowing or comb began to form!
This new set of babies I oegged the one satin silkie to be a cockrel and he literally threw his head back n belted out the pitifulest little crow at 4 weeks old! His comb is just forming. I have another one that I believe is as cockrel as well buy no comb or crow...just behavior. So will have to wait n see as they are only 6 weeks old now.

 

[Alicethewhiterabbit]

I don't think sexing silkies is hard. I usually know the genders by the behaviour of the chick. Some silkies are hard to sex... But most are easy (I have 15 silkies and I sexed all of them)

What behaviors do you look for to differentiate them?

 

[Silkie Princess]

What behaviors do you look for to differentiate them?

Males tend to be more dominant, curious and have slightly more energy. Females are less curious and like to eat more