What age can you tell silkie gender?

[Nicole01]

I brought Apple home early march. He/she may have been a week old? He/she had full grown wing feathers to the tail. I really don't keep that good of track of their age, I've raised quite a bit of babies the last couple years. I guess he/she's about 8-9 weeks now? Maybe a little older? I've noticed that Apple has a lot of foot feathering, oh that is so cute! I was hoping for a bearded silkie, but I don't think apple will have a beard.

Do hens grow wattles too? I still don't see any wattles on apple yet. I have a red sex link hen the same age and her wattles have really grown in and are getting pretty red.

 

[farmer boy]

I brought Apple home early march. He/she may have been a week old? He/she had full grown wing feathers to the tail. I really don't keep that good of track of their age, I've raised quite a bit of babies the last couple years. I guess he/she's about 8-9 weeks now? Maybe a little older? I've noticed that Apple has a lot of foot feathering, oh that is so cute! I was hoping for a bearded silkie, but I don't think apple will have a beard.

Do hens grow wattles too? I still don't see any wattles on apple yet. I have a red sex link hen the same age and her wattles have really grown in and are getting pretty red.

hens do have wattles but not much wattles they will start getting their wattles when there a lot older then apple is now .. ... and alex15 mine just started getting his comb around 5-6 months maybe or later i forget but he has a big comb now lol

 

[rookiefarmers]

My male silkie crowed at 8 weeks and had a big comb and wattles by 10 weeks. He is now 12 weeks and his wattles are getting bigger by the day. His comb is very prominent now too. I have heard breeder silkies are very hard to sex but my hatchery boy was fairly easy. . I LOVE the buff color. Such a cutie.

 

[Nicole01]

3.5 weeks later. No wattles yet. Not much of a head poof either. I hope the head poof is a late bloomer. Apple is as cute as a button. Although, I think something's wrong with his/her brain. Apple does this weird head/snake wave once in a while. I've never seen anything like it, but she is a hatchery bird and I've had other hens with weird issues that come from the hatchery. I'll most likely hatch my own chicks from now on anyways since the chick prices are increasing.

I need to take a better head shot photo of Apple.

 

[Alex15]

Oh what a nice bright colour she's coming to be! Such a cutie! I think she's still looking like a girl. As well as all the comb and wattles my boy got these thin feathers around his neck that actually looked like human hair and his fury feathers weren't as soft as my girls. He also started acting like a roo, pulling neck feathers and sometimes rounding the girls up for bed at night and making funny noises when he finds treats. This started around 13 weeks of age. He still lets me pick him up but he doesn't sit in my lap like fergie does. She's like a cat/rag doll, so relaxed and happily naps in my lap. Do you can probably get done indication from her behavior!

Anyway time will tell! Keep posting the updates!

 

[Alex15]

Oh what a nice bright colour she's coming to be! Such a cutie! I think she's still looking like a girl. As well as all the comb and wattles my boy got these thin feathers around his neck that actually looked like human hair and his fury feathers weren't as soft as my girls. He also started acting like a roo, pulling neck feathers and sometimes rounding the girls up for bed at night and making funny noises when he finds treats. This started around 13 weeks of age. He still lets me pick him up but he doesn't sit in my lap like fergie does. She's like a cat/rag doll, so relaxed and happily naps in my lap. So you can probably get done indication from her behavior!

Anyway time will tell! Keep posting the updates!

 

[Nicole01]

Oh good, I hope she's a female. She is gettung close to being 16 weeks. My Ameraucana babies that are a few weeks old just love Apple and always laying all over her.

I thought she looked dark, more like a reddish color.. If Apple is a boy, I'll have to try again next year with a silkie. I really want one in my flock.

 

[Nicole01]

I have a fine young cockerel! He will make a nice flock happy. He is very gentle while trying to learn his manly stuff. I've never seen a boy be so gentle at this age.

I'm really bummed he's not a she. I'm not keeping him and I pray he goes to a good home.

 

[Alex15]

Oh no! That's such a shame! He is a very nice boy though! But I'm sad you didn't get the girl you hoped for! I've been getting pretty good at silkie sex guessing and this is the first I've gotten wrong! Good luck with your next silkie!!!

 

[Nicole01]

We will try again the next time we have babies. I'm pretty maxed out right now. He is such a nice gentle boy. . He will come right up to me when I call the flock.