poofless silkie gender

[embkm]

I have a 21 week old buff silkie that had all its poof feathers pulled out when I tried to introduce it to a new pen of banties. Before the de-poofing, sometimes I would think I saw streamers, then other times I would think I just imagined it.

There has been no crowing, no egg, and the comb and wattles are very small.

When I put it in the new pen, the Blue Roo mounted Silkie about 4 times, then ignore it until the top pullet started picking on it. Blue Roo kept putting himself between them to keep them seperated. Does this type of behavior tell me that my Silkie is a girl?

Or are there any other physical clues to gender other than poof streamers? I really want to name Silkie since it is now in the isolation cage in my bathroom. It makes little coo sounds when I sit in there and talk to it. Poor baby doesnt need to get stuck with a horrible name like "the Silkie" or "baldy" or Mohawk for the rest of its life!

 

[flowerchicks]

I don't have any clue, but it sounds like your rooster has taken a liking to it, so maybe it is a girl. Isn't it the saddest thing to see a dejected, sad, scared silkie. They seem so helpless. My 20 week old silkie cockerel is the same way. He is scared to DEATH of all the chickens except his silkie friend, who I got him for. He still chirps too. I love silkies

Post a picture so we can her/him

 

[embkm]

Here are some pics of IT. IT really seems quite content in the house. Other than being uglier than it used to be, it's not acting upset at all anymore. It won't be going back in that pen though, even if Blue Roo did take a liking to it. When it heals up enough, it will be going into the new "oddball pen" that we are making... It, the shy red frizzle, and the really runty white frizzle and teeny super runty OEGB pullets should all get along fine. IT and runty white were in the same pen until I tried to move IT so I know they get along, and shy red and Runty OEGB are currently together so they will all have at least someone they know to hang out with and no one will be the "outsider".

Hubby wants to call IT Sami (or Sammy)... it just doesn't feel right to me. I think IT really needs a special name. Sorry for the dark pics... I was using my cell phone camera in the spare bathroom.

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

My GUESS is girl. Based on your story (which made me laugh a lot) and something about HER face. Girl. I think...




Joni

 

[embkm]

I am really hoping IT is a girl. But 3 months ago, I would have sworn all 3 Silkies I got were boys. Then 2 months ago, I started maybe, possibly seeing less boy traits with this one. Last month, I gave up and just decided to go with the hopelessly clueless belief that I won't know until it crows or lays... with my luck, it won't happen until IT is like 9 months old LOL!

I think IT has a sweet face too. And IT is so patient when I wash it's head and put the medicine on everynight. When I talk to IT, it talks back... with almost a pidgeon like sound. It's not really a "coo" and it isn't a roostery sound, but it's not really a chicky chirp either. Just like every thing else about IT, it sounds different too.

 

[jossanne]

I'm guessing by that tiny comb that you've got a pullet. Do you have the other silkies you got with it to compare it to?

 

[aubreynoramarie]

deff. a girlie

i went to pick up my first silkie two weeks ago. they were all three months old and the boys were completely obviously very different from the girls, their waddles were at least an inch long! your lady looks like a LADY

 

[crazy chook]

definitely a girl, you should keep her name 'IT'

Very cute

 

[spikennipper]

At 5 months old that is a hen you have there

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I really cannot tell from the photo--and the bird is still quite young (for a silkie) to ascertain gender. Try checking the amount of space between the pubic bones--wider and loosely joined would indicate a girl, narrow and tight a male.

The other way to absolutely tell the gender is to name the bird. Guaranteed to have a name for the wrong gender: Lily would certainly be a boy; Rufus a girl.