Bantam Silkie Roo... or is it?

[jahphotogal]

Possibly the wrong forum for this thread, if so I apologize.

I have 4 year-old hens, and 5 ten-week old babies. One of the babies is supposed to be a bantam silkie. (The others are EE, welsummer and RIR.) Couple of questions. so far the silkie is the biggest of the bunch - could it be a non-bantam, or will he just stop growing and the others will continue? (They're almost as big as my smallest adult - maybe two-thirds the size of my biggest girls.)

Also I think the silkie is a roo. (The 'hair' on the top of his head goes back like a mohawk, not up/poufy) Will he try to mate with my full size hens? I'm not planning to raise any chicks - I'm sure they'd be pretty weird looking! Just curious about what might happen and if I should be prepared for problems.

 

[chickenlver2013]

Pics would give us a better understanding

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

A silkie rooster won't get more than about 3 lb in size full grown. Bantam roos try to mate will standard hens...but the standard hens may or may not accept him as their rooster. I've seen a successful bantam roo and a not successful one.

Depends on their personalities.

We can't tell if it is a silkie unless we see pics.

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Silkies/BRKSilkies.html

http://www.cacklehatchery.com/silkie.htm
rooster 36 oz. this says

 

[blriehl]

Im having the same problem... I purchased 5 Silkies from my local TSC... 3 Of them, I believe, aren't true Silkies my 2 Bantam Silkies have the fully feathered legs and massive head poufs. The other three are clean legged ad HUGE for a Bantam. Same size as my standard chickens.

 

[chickenlver2013]

Im having the same problem... I purchased 5 Silkies from my local TSC... 3 Of them, I believe, aren't true Silkies my 2 Bantam Silkies have the fully feathered legs and massive head poufs. The other three are clean legged ad HUGE for a Bantam. Same size as my standard chickens.

there is two types of silkies. A bantam variety and a standard variety.

 

[blriehl]

Why would they sell them at the bantam price at TSC? It was my first time buying chicks... So upset

 

[jahphotogal]

I'll post pic of mine soon. Mine was sold as a bantam at TSC, but it's as big as, or bigger than, all the the others I got at the same time. They're about 10 weeks old now - looking as big as my smaller adults now. So maybe it's not a bantam at all!

 

[blriehl]

I'll post pic of mine soon.  Mine was sold as a bantam at TSC, but it's as big as, or bigger than, all the the others I got at the same time. They're about 10 weeks old now - looking as big as my smaller adults now.  So maybe it's not a bantam at all!

They probably aren't! I have two true Silkie Bantams out of the 5 I got there! The only reason I got the two was because I purchased what I thought were Silkies and they let me exchane them. Ill have to post a picture of my standard Silkies as well!

 

[realsis]

hi I have all silkies and if you post a pic I'm pretty sure I can help sex the bird for you. please post a pic and I'll let you know. silkies are my favorite breed. usually there are different quality of silkies. pet quality and show quality. perhaps that's the differences your seeing in the silkie. yes there are full size and bantam size. mine are silkie bantams. please show your silkie and maybe I can help.

 

[jahphotogal]

OK, it took a while since it's been pouring here for weeks, but I got some decent shots of my bantam (or is it?) silkie roo (or is it??): He or she is named Muffin, and is somewhere in the neighborhood of 13 weeks old. He doesn't crow, but he definitely dominates the girls in his flock, who are all the same age and no bigger than he is - some are smaller. Note that you can click each one to see the larger version


#1 shows his whole shape and tail conformation. The girls right behind him are an EE and a welsummer, both the same age.


2: Again with the tail, and maybe you can see the hackles.


3 and 4 show how his pouf grows, his wattles, etc.



Handsome fella, isn't he?