dance in the dark Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 (edited) Ok, so my four silver laced wyandottes are now seven weeks old, I am hoping we might be close to at least a semi-definate sexing, so I need some opinions. I have never hatched chicks before so my guesses may be rediculous, but I hope I am right. I think I may have one boy, three girls, but I have convinced myself I am wrong, as that would be very lucky.... Number 1. Pretty definatly a boy. Number 2 (green leg ring) girl? Number 3 (yellow leg ring) girl? Number 4 (blue leg ring) girl? Edited May 1, 2013 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I find silver laced really hard to sex personally I'd agree that no 1 is male and no 2 is female The other two have very red faces which may indicate male but feathers look female. For now I would agree that they look more female than male but I wouldnt put money on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dance in the dark Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 I agree, these seem to be very tricksy. I heard that gold laced wyandottes are normally easier to sex, but I was lured in. I can see what you meant about the red. The one I am sure is I boy was actually hatched about a day later than they other three, and he started going noticeably red about 10 days ago, the others hadn't really shows any pink even until about Friday. The definite boy also has noticeably thicker legs and has a black band across the back of his neck, which I have heard is quite common in SLW young cockerels, which none of the others have. Plus he has been so much slower to feather, on his body, whereas you can see the others are quite fully feathered. My other thing I have been looking at, although not too clear in the pics, is that the three possible girls all have tails which kind of swoop over at the top, if that makes sense, whereas his feathers are still pointing upwards. I would also like to say I have spent many hours considering the gender, I have homes for cockerels, but if I have three girls and a boy it would make my year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 I've got Gold laced ones 9 weeks old & they have been hard to sex. The only thing that has set the boys apart from the girls now is that the boys combs are sort of raised & bumpy (ish). A bit like a squashed raisin. Only the one has crowed, but it is now definite that I have 3 boys & 2 girlies. Yours are beautiful! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 This is one reason I like the barreds so much, you can sex those straight out of the egg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I like the barred, very stunning they are. Knowing what they are straight away though - I think I'd cry by knowing how many cockerels I'd got. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atsw Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Just wondering what the final outcome was with your four Silver Laced Wyandottes? I only ask as that is the breed I'm planning to hatch this year. Almost exactly on cue one of my three ultra-reliable Pekin Bantams went broody over the weekend, so I have 6 LF Silver Laced Wyandottes hatching eggs on the way to me this week. If all goes to plan the chicks should start to hatch over the May B/H Weekend. Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dance in the dark Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 I can happily confirm that all my guesses were correct. Boy was the first one and then the other three were all girls. If I can get some pics later I will post them up. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dance in the dark Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 Here we are. Greeny is now Willow and Bluey is now Wanda And the buff orp in the background is the one who raised them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atsw Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Thanks for posting those pictures Tim, your birds look really great . My six Silver Laced Wyandottes eggs have been sitting under my broody for the last 19 days, so if all has gone well I should have chicks starting to hatch out in a couple of days time . Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 They are beautiful I love their colouring, I have a gold laced one and her markings are not as striking. Atsw good luck with your hatching. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atsw Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Atsw good luck with your hatching. Thanks Purplemaniacs, I've just lifted Biscuit off the nest for her 10 minutes of daily exercise, feather fluffle, head scratch and poo and I can see that three of her six eggs have just started to 'pip'. I actually saw a bit of cracked shell move (which is a first for me as I've always hatched with broody's in the past, and thus never usually get to see that stage). I can also hear the faint sound of cheeping . Early days yet, it can take hours for them to get out, but I will check in again later this evening to see what progress has been made. This will be my forth hatch, but it's still just as exciting and nerve racking as all the previous ones . Wish me luck . Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dance in the dark Posted May 2, 2013 Author Share Posted May 2, 2013 It is very exciting. All my four literally hatched within about six hours which was quite a surprise. Just make sure you don't lift the broody off again till chicks are out. The silver laced are wonderful aren't they, not easy to find in large fowl, which is why I ended up hatching them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atsw Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Thanks Tim. Yes, having decided LF Silver Laced Wyandottes was what we wanted as the next additions to our flock, we then struggled to find anyone local who was supplying just hens (all were Trio's, and we we already have two Pekin Bantam cockerels!). So, hatching seemed like the next best plan. It obviously helped that we have three Pekin's who go broody at the drop of a hat, so just a matter of waiting until they did this spring, ordering the eggs and letting Biscuit sit on them. So far, at least, the plan is working! I will get pictures as soon as I can. Useful that it's a B/H weekend, so more time than normal to watch and photograph everything as it unfolds . Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atsw Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 just a quick update. 1 chick emerged last night. Very early hatch, on day 20. When I checked again this morning another had just hatched and was still all damp. On checking this afternoon, a 3rd is now out and all fluffed up . I can't get a good view of the 3 remaining eggs to see what status they are at. I didn't candle any of the eggs at any stage, so have no idea what to expect of the remaining eggs, but as it's only day 21 today, I shall simply let nature take its course for the next couple of days and see where we are by Sunday. I can't get a picture of all 3 chicks together, they dive under Mum to keep warm if exposed for any time, but here's a couple of shots I did manage to snap. Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Lovely pic of the new arrivals. Have any more hatched? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atsw Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Thanks Shirl. No sign of activity in the other three eggs, which is a bit disappointing, I was hoping at least 4 of the 6 would hatch, but three healthy chicks is great news never the less. I turfed Mum off for her morning poo just now and managed to snap a picture of all three before Biscuit returned to the nest. Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atsw Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 Lovely pic of the new arrivals. Have any more hatched? Three chicks is the final count. I was going to remove the remaining eggs today, but Biscuit beat me to it and abandoned them herself this morning (instinct in chickens is amazing, isn't it?). I was curious to know the fate of the three eggs that didn't hatch, so opened them up. Two were infertile, the other contained a fully grown chick which had been unable to get out of the shell for what ever reason (not even pipped). Anyway, here are the three little ones that hatched without any problems and are looking really healthy I've started another thread with other pictures of them out in the garden with Mum this afternoon, which you can find by clicking here. Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
