? about silkie development

[gritsar]

Did your male silkie chicks develop overall slower than your females?

I have two silkie chicks - a red one (mine) that is growing well right along with my other chicks and a blue one (ordered it for DH). The blue one I am already suspecting is a cockerel. He has tiny little streamers popping up on his head (read this is a sign of a cockerel), but is not feathering out as fast as the little red one.

 

[Bluemoon420]

The blue one is probably a boy if it has the streamers. That's what ours did, but it's not fool proof. Best bet is to wait for an egg, or it to crow. Ours didn't crow very early, so we just had to wait to be sure. It's the only advice I got for ya grits. Hopefully, someone with more silkie experience can chime in.

Bluemoon

 

[gritsar]

Thanks Blue. Something about this little one just screams "roo!" to me. I am one that preaches behavior not being an indicator of sex but this little "boy" is the only one of the new chicks that sits up and pays attention when my adult roo crows.

I don't mind if he's a roo, so long as my big roo doesn't mind.