Help me sex my silkies

[mike001]

That subject line just sounds wrong.

I have four silkies, each is different, they are now about 8 weeks old.

It's hard to take pictures of them because they run from me if I get too close unless they are in the coop, where it is always dark.


1. Looks like a normal hen, no head poof, tiny somb and wattles. Pretty sure this is a hen.

2. Big (not huge) comb, big wattles, trace of red in comb (are silkies supposed to have that??), no head poof.

3. Big (not huge) comb, big wattles, head poof.

4. Head poof, big wattles, big comb, but different, not a normal comb, like a big knobby wide thing.

I would say that 2 and 3 are roosters, but then what is 4?? His comb is totally different! So maybe he is the rooster and the rest hens?

 

[leadwolf1]

You aren't describing all silkies...they should all have head poofs. The correct comb is a mulberry comb...the big knobby thing that I think you are describing.

Please try and get pics to post. Without them, we really can't tell what they are Just by your description, I would say that all but number one are roosters.

 

[hdowden]

You aren't describing all silkies...they should all have head poofs. The correct comb is a mulberry comb...the big knobby thing that I think you are describing.

Please try and get pics to post. Without them, we really can't tell what they are Just by your description, I would say that all but number one are roosters.

x2

 

[mike001]

I'll try to take a pic. I'm sure these aren't top quality silkies, they were bought for 2.99 at TSC. But they all have the poofy silkie feathers, feathered feet and most have five toes (one has four, one has five on one foot and six on the other). They are still young, so maybe the head poofs will come later.

At their age, though, my Barred Rock rooster had a very large comb. These guys have a comb half that size, except the one that's like a knott, hard to tell how big that one is, and of course the tiny one.

 

[leadwolf1]

Silkies are slow to mature...if you are seeing any comb at all, that usually means roo in silkies.

 

[mike001]

That is the little one with no rooster features.


That is the one with a little red in his/her comb.

The top left one is the same as the previous one but has a small but growing headpoof.


And this is the one with the mulberry comb.

 

[hdowden]

I'll try to take a pic. I'm sure these aren't top quality silkies, they were bought for 2.99 at TSC. But they all have the poofy silkie feathers, feathered feet and most have five toes (one has four, one has five on one foot and six on the other). They are still young, so maybe the head poofs will come later.

At their age, though, my Barred Rock rooster had a very large comb. These guys have a comb half that size, except the one that's like a knott, hard to tell how big that one is, and of course the tiny one.

even for hatchery birds thats bad...but they are pretty

i see 2 cockerels for sure and 1 pullet the 4th i cant really see that well (the one in the 3rd pic)

 

[mike001]

It's okay, I don't really care about silkie genetic purity. I just wanted funny looking poofy chickens. Out of curiosity, what makes the hatchery silkies bad silkies? Do they crossbreed with other types of chickens? Or are silkies the result of carefull breeding that falls apart when any and all are allowed to breed?

Also, am I going to be okay with 4 roosters? The three little ones are going to have to contend with this one:



His name is Columbus. He is only 12 weeks old and already he is a big bad @#$@!@er.

 

[hdowden]

if you dont have many pullets you could have a lot of problems and possibly dead cockerels from them fighting over a few hens best to have at least 6 hens per full grown cockerel if kept together. if kept a part in separate pens you can run them as trios (2 pullets/hens to 1 cockerel/rooster) although the ideal is 6 hens/pullets to 1 cockerel/rooster to prevent the rooster from over working one hen.

 

[mike001]

I have 11 hens...so not enough, eh?