I have a "mystery" chicken and am also trying to determine breeds of silkies, a cochin bantam and a brahma bantam.

[JJandtheBoys]

The first on is a Dark Cornish. The second is a Black Cochin. The third is a Light Brahma. The fourth is a black silkie. The last is a Penciled Silkie. We're did you get the penciled silkie?

I got the penciled silkie (who we thought was a BLUE silkie) from Chickenville USA in Terrell, TX. They get most/all of their birds from Ideal Poultry, so I suspect she came from Ideal. I've ordered directly from Ideal twice, and out of 20 birds, three were dead within 24 hours, one was an Easter-Egger male (when I ordered a female), and one was the wrong bread (hence, the random cornish instead of a red silkie). I know Ideal is supposed to be really reputable, but out of 20 birds, 5 of ours were... wrong. Poor odds. Conversely, Chickenville doesn't sell day-olds. Theirs are a few days to a few months old. They only sell REALLY healthy birds and make a gender guarantee on non-bantams. BUT - they do not ship. You have to drive to get there.

 

[Egg Snatcher]

I got the penciled silkie (who we thought was a BLUE silkie) from Chickenville USA in Terrell, TX. They get most/all of their birds from Ideal Poultry, so I suspect she came from Ideal. I've ordered directly from Ideal twice, and out of 20 birds, three were dead within 24 hours, one was an Easter-Egger male (when I ordered a female), and one was the wrong bread (hence, the random cornish instead of a red silkie). I know Ideal is supposed to be really reputable, but out of 20 birds, 5 of ours were... wrong. Poor odds. Conversely, Chickenville doesn't sell day-olds. Theirs are a few days to a few months old. They only sell REALLY healthy birds and make a gender guarantee on non-bantams. BUT - they do not ship. You have to drive to get there.

Thanks. Just wondering if you got them form a feed store.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Blueberry is male, 100%

 

[JJandtheBoys]

Blueberry is male, 100%

Thank you! I thought so. Was hoping not, though.

 

[JJandtheBoys]

The Cornish, black silkie, and maybe the black Cochin are boys. The rest a girls.

Can you help educate me on this a bit? Others are saying the Cochin is a female. What characteristics would indicate male vs. female? Same question for the black silkie? I can tell by the saddle feathers that the cornish is definitely a boy. Thanks, in advance, for your thoughts!

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

Can you help educate me on this a bit? Others are saying the Cochin is a female. What characteristics would indicate male vs. female? Same question for the black silkie? I can tell by the saddle feathers that the cornish is definitely a boy. Thanks, in advance, for your thoughts!

Redness and size of the comb and wattles, thats the main one people use. I'm a little unsure about your little blue cochin cause some ladies can develop a comb sooner than others, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if it turned out to be a cockerel :'( and some people are calling them black, although the lighter coloured body with the feather lacing is something that blues tend to have, I've never seen lacing or the lighter body colour on blacks : D I could be wrong, although I'd love to see photos of your little cochin in a few weeks/months <3

 

[Egg Snatcher]

Can you help educate me on this a bit? Others are saying the Cochin is a female. What characteristics would indicate male vs. female? Same question for the black silkie? I can tell by the saddle feathers that the cornish is definitely a boy. Thanks, in advance, for your thoughts!

I said the Cochin is maybe a boy because of the comb and wattels forming. But I could be wrong. The silkie is a boy because his comb is already developing. Boys almost always grow their come and wattels at a very young age, unlike hens, their combs and wattels grow more slowly.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

The first on is a Dark Cornish. The second is a Black Cochin. The third is a Light Brahma. The fourth is a black silkie. The last is a Penciled Silkie. We're did you get the penciled silkie?

IDEAL sells them as Grey/Gray silkies

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

I think Blueberry may be a hatchery grade dark Cornish bantam.

Scoot and Colonel both look like pullets.

The silkies will take longer-- I suspect the black is a cockerel, the gray is a pullet, but it is too early to be sure.

And yes, Blueberry is a definite cockerel.

I agree!