Can you tell how old my rooster is?

[whitneywpanetta]

I have what I believe to be a silkie/cochin mix rooster. He has 5 toes on each foot, very blue earlobes (the picture doesn't do it justice), and a definite streamer/head feathers coming in. My question is, can you tell a chick's age? I know rooster traits start to show themselves at different times, but for the age I think this little guy is, it seems like he is a very early developer.

When I got him I was told he was three weeks old. At four weeks his comb was coming in full force (I suspected boy at this point). At five weeks he started crowing, I was shocked! At 6-7 weeks his mohawk started showing. In these pictures he is 10 1/2 weeks old. The frizzle is the same age in front of him.

Could he just be an earlier developer or could he be older and a bantam breed? When I purchased him I was told a female silkie... which obviously he doesn't have the fluff of a typical silkie, so now I wonder what else he could be blended with.

Thanks for the help!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

All you can go by is what you were told, especially with a cross.
Some breeds a male is detectable at 4 days, others 2 or 3 months.
Some breeds are fast maturing and start crowing at 5 weeks and start trying to breed by 8.

 

[donrae]

If he wasn't completely feathered in when you got him, age was probably right, or close enough. Being off by a week or two really doesn't effect development at all, he's just an early bloomer.

 

[whitneywpanetta]

He certainly is an early bloomer, and is already trying to mate! It's funny how different chickens can develop, it was well into the 3rd month before by last rooster showed definite signs. Thanks for the feedback.