Confirm sex on some ugly, ugly Silkies.

[SpringPeeper]

My sister fancies herself an animal rescuer, and she 'rescued' what she was told were three Silkie hens give to give to me since she knew I wanted Silkies. It looks to me like all she did was add to my ever-growing pile of Silkie cocks, though. She doesn't know the age. She was told a few weeks, but they are clearly a lot older than that. I only have the pictures she sent me, the birds are about 85 miles away and I haven't laid eyes on them yet.

First, we'll call White A:

 

[SpringPeeper]

Next, we'll call White B:

 

[SpringPeeper]

This one we'll call "Holy crap, that is an insanely ugly bird!"

 

[Nimby Chickens]

Last one looks like a roo, and what on earth is that crusty stuff on them? Please quarantine these guys for the safety of your other birds.

 

[keesmom]

That's hatchery quality for you. Could you get better comb pictures of the whites? Though from the lack of wattles on non-bearded birds I suspect the whites could be pullets.

 

[SpringPeeper]

Last one looks like a roo, and what on earth is that crusty stuff on them? Please quarantine these guys for the safety of your other birds.

She says it is just from a super dirty cage (all three were in a guinea pig cage) and she doesn't think there are any mites/lice, but there will definitely be a stringent quarantine. I have a family member in town I supply eggs to who loves chickens but can't be bothered to care for their own, and they allow me to quarantine on their property as long as they don't have to be the ones to care for them.

That's hatchery quality for you. Could you get better comb pictures of the whites? Though from the lack of wattles on non-bearded birds I suspect the whites could be pullets.

I will ask her to take another picture and post it when she sends it.

 

[drumstick diva]

That last one is a cockerel all right. Maybe you could suggest she PLEASE not find birds for you. I'm sure she means well but, birds from such an environment may not have been kept on the proper feed, treated for worms or mites, etc. - they could bring you a whole can of worms of trouble. Poor silkies cannot help that poor stock is behind them.

 

[SpringPeeper]

That last one is a cockerel all right. Maybe you could suggest she PLEASE not find birds for you. I'm sure she means well but, birds from such an environment may not have been kept on the proper feed, treated for worms or mites, etc. - they could bring you a whole can of worms of trouble. Poor silkies cannot help that poor stock is behind them.

This is a semi-regular thing for her. If she sees animals that are bad off in some way, she will try to snatch them up assuming she'll be able to find someone willing to do better by them. I wouldn't rush them into my flock by any means, if they do indeed end up here. They would not be for breeding even if they were quality, I am just looking for Silkie hens to hatch and rear the occasional batch of Orpington, Polish or Sex Link chicks I want from my flock.

 

[SpringPeeper]

The black one most definitely was a rooster, he developed an absurdly loud crow for his size. Here are some pictures I took today-






They have had baths, but just before these pictures were digging up bugs from the mud where a wading pool had just been moved. They still are not on the property with my flock.

 

[SpringPeeper]

And this pair of buffs are in quarantine as well, they were being attacked in their home flock and had to go. The one with a really upright crest had been partially scalped, and the feathers are growing in oddly because of healing tissue and still having tubes, so the crest is more upright than I think it would be otherwise. I was told these two were bought as pullets and are about six months old, but I am suspicious of at least one of them. Then again, I have about given up believing any Silkies are female.