2 Silkies - Hen or Roo?

[kkhoneycutt]

I’m new to Silkies, heck, new to “owning” chickens. I bought these from a lady unsexed. They are 4/5 weeks old. She said Silkies are notoriously hard to sex so was hoping someone who could tell me what to look for to determine what I have!

 

[talkinboutchickens]

A little too early to tell, I think, especially for silkies- I believe you have to wait a few months to sex silkies, although I'm not an expert by any means! Perhaps @Debbie292d or @2ndTink can help you out here?

 

[Debbie292d]

I’m new to Silkies, heck, new to “owning” chickens. I bought these from a lady unsexed. They are 4/5 weeks old. She said Silkies are notoriously hard to sex so was hoping someone who could tell me what to look for to determine what I have!

They are very cute, but no, we can't tell at that age. I've been raising/breeding them for 9 years, and if I could know that soon, wow, it'd be wonderful! All of us give our best guess because we think their tail, head, or personality speaks to one sex or another. In the end, we may or may not be right; it's 50/50.

Sometimes a cockerel will ID itself early by trying to crow.

Try repost them in a month and see if there are any better signs then, but you won't definitely know until they are at least three months old, most likely four.

 

[kkhoneycutt]

A little too early to tell, I think, especially for silkies- I believe you have to wait a few months to sex silkies, although I'm not an expert by any means! Perhaps @Debbie292d or @2ndTink can help you out here?

Thank you!

 

[kkhoneycutt]

They are very cute, but no, we can't tell at that age. I've been raising/breeding them for 9 years, and if I could know that soon, wow, it'd be wonderful! All of us give our best guess because we think their tail, head, or personality speaks to one sex or another. In the end, we may or may not be right; it's 50/50.

Sometimes a cockerel will ID itself early by trying to crow.

Try repost them in a month and see if there are any better signs then, but you won't definitely know until they are at least three months old, most likely four.

Thank you! Other than crowing, what signs do they show if I have a roo? Specific feathering or anything like that?

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you! Other than crowing, what signs do they show if I have a roo? Specific feathering or anything like that?

Roosters have hackles on the backs of their necks, which are straighter, longer feathers, whereas hens have the silkie feathers, or more fuzzy look.

Roosters also get what's called a walnut comb, which is much larger than the hens' combs.

The hens tails are soft and form sort of a ball, whereas the roosters usually have a few straight ones coming out. I have a one-year-old pure silkie rooster with a round ball tail, but when I look, I see some straight stick feathers in there.

 

[kkhoneycutt]

Roosters have hackles on the backs of their necks, which are straighter, longer feathers, whereas hens have the silkie feathers, or more fuzzy look.

Roosters also get what's called a walnut comb, which is much larger than the hens' combs.

The hens tails are soft and form sort of a ball, whereas the roosters usually have a few straight ones coming out. I have a one-year-old pure silkie rooster with a round ball tail, but when I look, I see some straight stick feathers in there.

Thank you! My “paint” is super sweet and almost momma material at such a young age but I know they are docile chickens too, but I can hold out hope right