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Will male silkies roost first?

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post #1 of 7

2/22/12 at 5:20pm

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waycaster

Location: Penfield
Joined: 7/2010
Posts: 32
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So I have 1 partridge (well I thinks its partridge) silkie and it is the one with the large puffy ball on its head and is must larger then the other two silkies. I have noticed.... him.... trying to get up to higher places, and tonight he was roosting (its about 12" at most high) but the other two were on the ground.

Their heads have more sleekd back puffs rather then big puffy poofs (different silkie breeder) and are smaller.

Any thoughts or ideas on roo or not? I will try and take photos, but cant promise it.

Silkies and Nigerian Dwarfs, I love my life.

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post #2 of 7

2/22/12 at 5:31pm

Happy Chooks

Location: Northern CA
Joined: 7/2009
Posts: 26,136
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I don't do silkies, but from what I've heard, they don't usually roost well.

Breeding Welsummers and Barnevelders.

Having an Icelandic in the coop is like having a 2 year old in the house - they are into everything and don't follow the rules.

I have zero chicken willpower.

Breeding Welsummers and Barnevelders.

Having an Icelandic in the coop is like having a 2 year old in the house - they are into everything and don't follow the rules.

I have zero chicken willpower.

post #3 of 7

2/22/12 at 5:50pm

Ethridgechixs

Location: Bixby, OK
Joined: 10/2011
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My only Silkie is a rooster and he doesn't usually roost very high if at all. also you can tell he is a rooster cause his eyes show and feathers fall back fron his head. the pullets i have seen have a huge puff on top of their heads and you can't usually see their eyes.

Raising our first bunch of chickens and loving every Min of it.

We have 1 White Silkie Roo, 1 BR, 1 Red star 1 RIR and 2 Dark Cornish.

We got then all Mid Nov 2011. we love them so much we added 6 more in Feb. 1 White Rock, 1 Black Copper Maran, 1 bantam Light Brahma 1 Gold Lankenvelder, 2 of the Lankenvelders turned out to be roo's.. On august 8th 2012 we adopted 1 Blue wheaten Americana, 1...

Raising our first bunch of chickens and loving every Min of it.

We have 1 White Silkie Roo, 1 BR, 1 Red star 1 RIR and 2 Dark Cornish.

post #4 of 7

2/22/12 at 6:27pm

centrarchid

Location: Central Missouri
Joined: 9/2009
Posts: 6,280
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I have not seen sexual dimorphism in roosting behavior unless it involves female tending chicks, so no.

Make every effort to understand your chicken's biology and the environment that supports it.

post #5 of 7

2/22/12 at 6:39pm

suebee
Speaks Silkie Fluently

Location: N. Carolina
Joined: 4/2007
Posts: 1,679
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Most likely a roo. Mine don't roost high...jump up to a hay bale, then up to a shelf. The males seem to jump up first.

I can sex silkies early most times, hard to tell SQ until 3-6 months, but your quote "Their heads have more sleekd back puffs rather then big puffy poofs" could be a sign they're males.

How old are they?

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post #6 of 7

2/23/12 at 5:03am

heathergreen

Location: Labelle, Florida
Joined: 2/2012
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We only have one male silkie and he usually goes into one of the nesting boxes at night, not the roost...even though it's low enough to the ground where he could easily get on the roost. We have two other roosters we are trying to re-home but for now they all get along, it's the RIR rooster and mixed breed rooster that get up on the roosts first at night and then maybe a hen will follow.

post #7 of 7

2/23/12 at 6:00am

Jake1297

Location: Western Maine
Joined: 2/2011
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I have 6 Silkies with one being a rooster. I have only one that roosts,female. She'll roost with the chickens 4 feet off the floor. All the other Silkies huddle on the floor. Also, this one that roosts is also more daring, she'll wander off and explore more.

1 Maltese/Poodle mix (rescue) 1 Newfoundland (rescue), 1 wife, 2 Rhode Island Reds, 3 Bard Rocks, 3 Cochin Mix Roosters, 2 Guineas, 10 Bared Rock/Cochin hens, 6 Silkies, Nine 2012 chicks, 5 silkies, 2 EE, 2 Cochin, 1 Black Forest Cuckoo.

Coop pictures on My Page