Is she a Roo???

[adcgroup]

I'm in the minority from the other posters, but my Silkie pullets can have a comb that is anything from almost non-existent to roughly the width of their beak while the cockerels at that age start having something wider, ranging from about that size to double that width. Looking back at pic #1 though, I can see what might be roo feathers along the cape. In my experience with Silkies, just about the time I think I know something, the next brood throws my assumptions on their head. Each batch I've raised has progressed differently and I've had some that matured quickly and others that took forever. Within a single brood though, I can usually accurately distinguish the boys and girls once they start developing.

 

[ClucksAndPeeps]

Cockerel
I think

 

[kourtneyo]

Ok, here are some more of my black silkie's face. What do you think...is she a roo?

 

[kourtneyo]

Hatched in mid-April. Still no crowing and no eggs.

 

[adcgroup]

I may end up with egg on my face on this one (sorry, couldn't resist), but I'm sticking with my original view. While there are looks of Roo, my reasons behind her being a pullet are as follows:

This is a bearded Silkie. In the very best lines, the comb and wattles are virtually non-existent and the crest and beard are so fully developed that only the tip of the beak protrudes from the fluff. Among mine who are similarly developed as yours (less beard and crest than the show types), I usually see more development in the comb and wattles. It may not be a 100% inverse proportionality, but it has seemed to be that way with mine. If that holds true, then a Roo would show even more development of the comb and wattles - and yours has very little development in the comb for 5 months and virtually no wattles.

Silkies are notoriously difficult to sex if they choose to cloak their identity as this one has done. It could be 6 months or more before a pullet lays her first egg and I've heard of Roos that didn't crow or act like a Roo for that long. I've had pullets take a long time to lay, but I've never had a Roo wait this long to act like a boy in some way.

Here in the next few weeks, you'll either hear a crow or see a little cream colored egg. I'm betting the latter.