18 week old Silky/pullet or cockerel

[darlingdarla]

She just turned 18 weeks old (4-ish months, she hatched on July 6th), she is a Buff Silky bantam and not a very nice one at that. She has always been very antisocial, hates being picked up, hates being petted, hates pretty much everything but her Mille Fluer d'Uccle pullet sister.

I've never owned a Silky before and unfortunately she was the only one in my order to survive (two Silkies died in the mail along with a Swedish Flower and a Black Frizzle Cochin, leaving my Buff Silky and d'Uccle alone, they live separately from the rest of the flock because of the silky), I have no experience telling Silky pullets and cockerels apart. I'd appreciate it if someone could point out the differences for future reference.

 

[HuffleClaw]

Pullet

 

[sixlittlechickens]

Yeah, definitely.
The pullets are usually smaller with rounded tail feathers.
She's very pretty.

 

[darlingdarla]

Okay thank you! I was hoping she was a girl.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

She is a pullet. Rounded crest. Almost no comb. She is the non-bearded variety, so if she was a boy, the wattles would be bigger.
Cockerels develop "streamers" coming off the back of their crests (like my cockerel in my avater photo). As you can see he has a very fluffy rounded tail, so that can go either way.
I know silkies have the reputation of being sweet, but one of my pullets is what I would call in polite conversation a real "stinker" and another one of my pullets is the sweetest thing ever, so you never know!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I know silkies have the reputation of being sweet, but one of my pullets is what I would call in polite conversation a real "stinker"

I bred them for a little while and agree 100% with this statement.

Streamers and many other things can be so subjective... I've seen them on ladies. Silkie cockerels do eventually get the much more flowing saddle feathers same as every other non hen feathered breed..

Bearding gene inhibits wattle size.. this being a non bearded Silkie.. at the stated age IS a PULLET!

And quite frankly on the better side of what I've sen out of hatchery Silkies! Beautiful lobes as they should be and nice mulberry colored wattles and comb that's even correct.. Although I'm not familiar with the feather pattern for this variety.. as far as SIlkies go.. looks like she has 5 toes with the correct skin color no white toe nails or many other inferior qualities I see WAY to often even being sold as "show quality" lines with white toe nail red combs, etc.. image from Google shows flowing saddel feathers of a boy and the larger wattles that would be more likely as well as the incorrectly red comb is still the right type (walnut) but much plumper than your.. despite any age disparity.. you can clearly see the differences and your would be leaning harder that way already.. perfect example of poor/week quality non bearded Silkie boy.

Sorry, I thought the nice comment was regarding traits I see now it was personality.. oh ya.. they vary WILDLY!

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

She just turned 18 weeks old (4-ish months, she hatched on July 6th), she is a Buff Silky bantam and not a very nice one at that. She has always been very antisocial, hates being picked up, hates being petted, hates pretty much everything but her Mille Fluer d'Uccle pullet sister.

I've never owned a Silky before and unfortunately she was the only one in my order to survive (two Silkies died in the mail along with a Swedish Flower and a Black Frizzle Cochin, leaving my Buff Silky and d'Uccle alone, they live separately from the rest of the flock because of the silky), I have no experience telling Silky pullets and cockerels apart. I'd appreciate it if someone could point out the differences for future reference.
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Pullet

 

[Offshoreorca]

I agree, A beautiful pullet!

 

[Matilda Belle]

Pullet