Help!!! 1st time Chicken mom... Sexing and Breed Issues??

[jinks12333]

The before: I already have a full grown Golden Laced Wyandotte, a 15 week old Americauna (Easter Egger) Rooster and a.... ahem..... Duck. This entire project started on just a duck. My friend bought me a duck for my birthday. Pepper Duck looked lonely.... got him a friend... Dorothy Chicken (Wyandotte).... Si the Rooster (EE) came along as a "freebie" in need of a good home. (Im a sucker and he is pretty).

The Middle.... I went to a local "breeder" (I use the term lightly because he didn't seem to have a clue as to what he was giving me) and walked away with 6 chicks for $15. He told me they were mixed up chicks and the Silkies were "pure."

The Question: Im having doubts about believing they are all pullets. So Im reaching out as a first time chicken owner (YIKES) I supposedly have 2 "Barred Rock x Wyandotte(?)" (the two black with white spots) ........ 2 "Buff Orpington x Wyandotte(?)" (the two goldens) and I have two weeeee little silkies (one Black one blue/Gray) What i want to know is from the pictures what is the chances i have some Pullets? :/

Chick 1

Chick 1 appx 8 weeks old

chick 2

chick 2 appx 8 weeks old

chick 3 (it has really nicely developed tail feathers... i didnt realize i had not gotten them in the picture) appx 10 weeks old

Chicks together

My Poor Poor pathetic little "Sly".... it is/was literally 1/2 the size of the other silkies and it was being picked on..... I said I didnt care if it was a boy or girl that I wanted it (just so i could take it home and spoil it and not let this poor chick get bullied. I brought another from the same group home... but it is camera shy. Honestly i dont know why Sly is so small.... but I set up a special pen for it to be in near the others but tucked safely away separated by chicken wire.

Sly Again....

and Again. Supposedly its 8 weeks old... i just dont see it.

Please tell me if you think my luck of pullets is high or if Im going to be re-homing a bunch of roos this winter/early spring.

 

[gamebirdsonly]

looks like the first two are roos not sure on third one or the silkie.

 

[Animol]

Silkies are notoriously hard to sex. Nobodys ever really sure until they crow or lay an egg. Looking at size I would say Sly's about 4 weeks old, but because of the bullying s/he could just be very small because the other chicks wouldn't let him/her near the food. Thank god you took Sly offa him. Chick 1 and 2 do look barred rock-ish but I'm nowhere near an expert on the breed and the comb is found in wyandottes so it doesn't sound too far off, both look like boys to me. I'm not sure about the third either.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

In pic #6, I see 3 boys. The other buff looks very girly. You've got some waiting to do on the Silkie, they take forever to mature.

 

[jinks12333]

Thanks y'all for responding... Im not too worried about the silkies...I suppose just because I'll love them regardless.... Sly especially because its my little buddy.... "it" follows me everywhere... Its more like a duck than a chicken. lol...... howfunkyisurchicken I also saw three Roos but the guy I got them from swore he was 95% positive they were Pullets.... @Animol.... do you know about how long until my Silkies will "display" to me if they are Roos or Hens? Lol (I have to name the other one regardless.. Haha)

I think I am going to have a rough time separating from my widdle chickies if they are roos.... But I already have a Rooster in place that is actually rather Kid/Dog friendly.... he just puffs up at the cats. (which i dont mind because they want my chicks)

I suppose Ill play the waiting game and see what I end up with.... Ill let y'all know ASAP Thanks again for your inputs.

 

[Animol]

For silkies they take up to 5 months to mature, but there have been hens who will lay as late as 8 months old. If he/she gets a big comb or alot of wattle development in the next couple months then it's probably a boy. Otherwise you'll just have to sit and wait it out

I find that my cockrels are rather ok with one another, if the head cock has been around and seen the other one grow up he usually just tells him not to get to get too close to him or his girls. I only started to get problems when I introduced a new one that was already fully grown (he's in a cage with two mutt hens and a silver sebright now), but mine have the whole backgarden to run around in so they can take 'breaks' from eachother. Wish you the best

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

When I had blue laced red Wyandottes, any chicks that got combs like yours were boys. I realize yours are mixed, but their combs look Wyandotte to me.

With Silkies, it depends alot on the line they came from. Hatchery Silkies can usually be sexed pretty early. With mine (from a breeder) I can usually pick out boys at 4-5 months, but I've had the odd pullet that turned into a cockerel at 7-8 months. My hens usually lay anywhere from 7-9 months. Though, I did have one hen that didn't lay an egg until she was a year and two weeks old!