Instructions
Observe the chick from the side within a few days of hatching. This beard and muff feature can be seen in the youngest of chicks and you do not have to handle the chick to see this feature.
Look for feathers that appear to come out from under the beak. This is the beard of a chick in which the feathers grow close to the beak and fluff up towards the beak. If the chick does not have this feature, then it is probably a non-bearded chick.
Look for the muff on the chick. These are the feathers the look like a ball of whiskers growing out the side of the face. If you are unsure if your chick has a beard due to its young age and development, you can look for the muff. If there is a muff, then your chick will develop a beard.
How to Determine Bearded and Non-Bearded Silkie Chicks
The silkie breed of chickens has a history that's at least a thousand years reports "The Complete Encyclopedia of Chickens." The silkie name comes from the feathers that lack the barbs and quills normally found in feathers, giving the feathers a silky fur appearance. This breed does come in bearded and non-bearded varieties. The bearded variety also always has a muff according to "Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds."