Can my Silkie have changed sex?

[DizzyDelights]

Hens can crow, and do so when they are trying to assert their dominance. Sometimes the hormones of females change due to a hormone issue, and they begin crowing, attacking humans and even mounting the other hens.

I noticed you mention a Silkie hen that died. If you have a male duck in the same space as the chickens, he could have mated her and killed her. If a male waterfowl mates a female landfowl, her insides will tear apart and she will die.

I'm aware of duck/chicken physical differences and the consequences of cross mating, this was definitely not the case with pepper, I have lots of female ducks, far more than the standard ratio of male to females and our ducks avoid the chooks like the plague, even though the ducks (mostly) are bigger, the chickens are the rule makers and get first dibs at everything. Pepper walked backwards a lot of the time, sometimes in circles for long periods, stood in corners staring at nothing and attacked trees, she would stare into space and sit with her head against the coop walls, typical behaviours associated with neuro problems. She lasted longer than we thought she would and was content in her own little world but it certainly wasn't a shock when she died, had it been ginger we would have been shocked, ginger definitely has no neuro issues - ego/power issues, she has in abundance

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

I'm aware of duck/chicken physical differences and the consequences of cross mating, this was definitely not the case with pepper, I have lots of female ducks, far more than the standard ratio of male to females and our ducks avoid the chooks like the plague, even though the ducks (mostly) are bigger, the chickens are the rule makers and get first dibs at everything. Pepper walked backwards a lot of the time, sometimes in circles for long periods, stood in corners staring at nothing and attacked trees, she would stare into space and sit with her head against the coop walls, typical behaviours associated with neuro problems. She lasted longer than we thought she would and was content in her own little world but it certainly wasn't a shock when she died, had it been ginger we would have been shocked, ginger definitely has no neuro issues - ego/power issues, she has in abundance

Definitely sounds like a brain issue, which is unfortunately common for Silkies and other crested breeds. Sorry for your loss!

 

[DizzyDelights]

Definitely sounds like a brain issue, which is unfortunately common for Silkies and other crested breeds. Sorry for your loss!

Thanks, they're harder work than standard chickens but their cuteness and funny characters make them so adorable and worth the work and heartache. I'll definitely be getting more, but shhhhhh, keep it quiet as my other half says we have enough, and we all know that there can never be enough when it comes to chickens and ducks

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Thanks, they're harder work than standard chickens but their cuteness and funny characters make them so adorable and worth the work and heartache. I'll definitely be getting more, but shhhhhh, keep it quiet as my other half says we have enough, and we all know that there can never be enough when it comes to chickens and ducks

Crested breeds are really cute and funny. I have large fowl Polish (though they are a bit on the small side). They are the weirdest breed I have ever kept. They stare off into space, peck at my feet when I am wearing different shoes (I am convinced that is all they can see at their level, LOL), and they literally sit down. Like, sitting. I have never seen another chicken breed sit before.