Hen or Roo?

[sillychicks123]

So I have five chickens at them moment, four of which are silkie bantams and the other is an old english game hen. I used to have three polish who were supposed to be sexed from the hatchery, but they ALL turned out to be Roos!!!

Im not allowed to keep Roos where I live, so I had to give them all away to this Rooster Rescue which was a very traumatic experience for me since I adore all my pets and get very attached to them all. Anyways, I was really frustrated with the hatchery of course, and didn't want to buy any more hatchery chicks, so I was looking on craigslist and found another lady who bred and sold silkies about ten weeks old about two hours away from me. We decided to go and get three, and I ended up buying three GORGEOUS (or so i think lol) smooth silkie chickens that she did best to sex. Sadly, I think one of my new chickens is a Roo too

And of course, it is my nicest chicken!!! Does anyone have any thoughts/ideas on what gender he/she it? (sorry for the detailed story, I am getting very frustrated and needed to rant a bit)

Heres some photos to help: (sorry for the bad quality, they other chicks didnt want to move lol)








Couldnt really get any up close ones tonight, but maybe I can try tomorrow:/ Kinda hard thought since he/she's top hat is so big!!

 

[Studio2770]

The head has me thinking girl because it's smooth and there's no comb visible but I am quite sure I see saddle feathers; only roosters have saddle feathers. Saddle feathers are the long pointy feathers at the base of the tale. I'm quite challenged when it comes to silkies so maybe someone else can help.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Silkies are notoriously hard to sex, so sometimes you have to wait for a crow or egg.

I could go either way with this one as I'm not great at sexing Silkies...I'm not seeing saddle feathers, and the crest is round from the front photos... but there may be some streamers starting in the crest which would indicate male....and I can't see a profile shot well enough to tell if it is holding itself really upright...it looks sort of mediumish to me.

Fortunately there is a good Silkie sexing thread here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/609085/sexing-your-silkies-pictures-and-tips-updated-july-5-12 and a lot of good Silkie people who frequent this thread...hopefully they'll comment for you.

Good luck on this one.

I feel your pain, but unfortunately it comes with the territory with chickens. If you buy chicks, some will inevitably be roosters. Chicken sexing is an art not a science (nobody's paying for DNA testing at the hatchery or farm).

The only way to avoid roosters would to buy older birds (4 months or older) so you can be certain you are getting a pullet...or buy autosexing breeds (such as Welsummers or Cream Legbars) or purchase sexlinks (such as Gold Stars/Red Sexlinks or Black Sexlinks). Then you can have chicks and your pullets too as the girls of these autosexing breeds and sexlink hybrids are one color and the boys another from moment of hatch. It saves a lot of frustration for those who can't have a rooster.

Lady of McCamley

 

[IloveBuffy]

I am not really sure... hat makes me think girl... tail makes me think boy or girl.... Not sure. I have only had one Silkie before.

 

[BantamLover21]

The crest is hen-like, but the tail and stance is that of a rooster. I really don't know for sure...I'd post new photos in a few weeks, and see if it is easier to tell then. Good luck!

 

[Wyandottes7]

The crest is hen-like, but the tail and stance is that of a rooster. I really don't know for sure...I'd post new photos in a few weeks, and see if it is easier to tell then. Good luck!

I agree. For now, my guess would be pullet.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I agree. For now, my guess would be pullet.

X2

 

[sillychicks123]

Thank you to everyone who replyed!!