I think we have a rooster - now what

[Pootersmama]

I have a Red Star, a Leghorn, a Golden Laced Wydanette, a Copper Maran, and 2 Silkies. I thought all were hens....surprise, this morning one of the Silkies crowed!!!!! I live in town and have close neighbors, I cannot have a rooster. I do not want to have him go, is there a way we can keep him from crowing? What happens if he mates with the other? I cannnot raise chicks, I have no room or time to riase chicks. I am in a panic, I think I need to have 2 Silkies for the company and the female is very attached and looks for the other. I biggest problem is the crowing, he cannot or we have to get rid of him.

 

[CMV]

You can't keep him from crowing. Believe me, if you could there would be many more roosters out there. As far as the rooster goes- put an add on Craigslist to find a home for him. If you can't have a rooster, you can't have a rooster. There's no point in agonizing over it. The flock will adjust to his absence.

As long as you collect your eggs it doesn't matter if they are fertile. They won't hatch out babies unless you leave them under a hen for 20 plus days. Fertile eggs in the first couple days give very little indication of being different from non-fertile eggs.

Good luck.

 

[Pootersmama]

What about the other Silkie, the 2 are a pair. I think she will be lost with out the other. The other problem is then she will be the smallest in the flock (these 2 are picked on by the bigger girls). I read somewhere that if you have Silkies, have a pair at the minimum. Can I introduce 1 Silkie now into the mix with the flock being so well established they range from 15-25 weeks.

 

[whillo]

I thought the same way about the two silkies I ordered, but the little buff girl died at two days old after delivery. My white silkie is doing well, is the smallest of my girls and seems so shy and demure. Yet, none of the others bother her. I watch her a lot because I don't want it to happen. They kind of pick at her a bit, but mostly like a preening, nothing mean. I always wonder if she would be more outgoing if her buddy had not died.

 

[Pootersmama]

Well Whillo, that makes me feel better. The current plan is to let them out later so he crows later. The good news is right now he only crows when he comes out and is quiet the rest of the day. We will see.

 

[ShariChickabee]

I am a newbee at this but I have read that if you do not want your rooster to crow early in the morning, you can keep him in a pen that is not tall enough for him to stretch his neck up to crow. Just be sure to let him out in the morning when it is OK for him to start crowing. I have two roosters and they crow in the coop even before they come out. They are in my fenced in yard and their door is always open to come in and out freely. I was amazed when I first got them how well they coop up on their own at sundown! Fortunately, I live in the country and the crowing is OK.

We had our first egg this past weekend! So exciting!

Best of luck!