I have been watching my silkies grow very closely. They are now 13 weeks old. #8 is definitely a rooster as he made a feeble attempt to crow a couple mornings ago, scared the daylights out of my teenaged son who had no idea what was going on in the silkie bin.
The one we call #8 is the only one with a comb, looks like a little pad of flesh over his beak. All the other chicks are without this padding so we are wondering if it is safe to call those all hens? I am posting pictures in hopes that if you good folk see another rooster that we could identify it.
This one was identified as the crowing bird
"Pad" above the beak
Silkie #9 has no padding
Side view of #9
Beak view of #9
#10 is a gray mixed colored bird, no pad on beak either
#10 side view
Beak view of #10
One buff, has split wing but otherwise healthy #11
#11 Beak view
#12 is another black one, no pad, great hairdoo
#12 side view
So far they seem to be doing really well, we have not had silkie chickens before but they are quite an interesting bird. Very quiet and easy to handle. They adopted the two French Copper Marans Chicks that were staying in the bin next to them and have remained mixed every since then. The FCM hide under all the silkie fluffiness, it is rather funny. They are much much younger than the silkies at only about 3 weeks.
So, thoughts?
The one we call #8 is the only one with a comb, looks like a little pad of flesh over his beak. All the other chicks are without this padding so we are wondering if it is safe to call those all hens? I am posting pictures in hopes that if you good folk see another rooster that we could identify it.
This one was identified as the crowing bird
"Pad" above the beak
Silkie #9 has no padding
Side view of #9
Beak view of #9
#10 is a gray mixed colored bird, no pad on beak either
#10 side view
Beak view of #10
One buff, has split wing but otherwise healthy #11
#11 Beak view
#12 is another black one, no pad, great hairdoo
#12 side view
So far they seem to be doing really well, we have not had silkie chickens before but they are quite an interesting bird. Very quiet and easy to handle. They adopted the two French Copper Marans Chicks that were staying in the bin next to them and have remained mixed every since then. The FCM hide under all the silkie fluffiness, it is rather funny. They are much much younger than the silkies at only about 3 weeks.
So, thoughts?
