Silkie gender...

[kbbeale]

I'm sure this has been discussed a million and one times already. I've tried searching, but I cant find any concrete information.

Can someone please tell me what exactly to look for when trying to figure out if I have roos or pullets? I tried to take some pictures today, and I just had a heck of time. I posted two pics out to my webshots page - here's the link:

http://community.webshots.com/user/TheCritterShack

I couldnt get a head on shot of what I believe is the cockerel. But, if some kind soul could tell me what exactly to look for, I'd appreciate it, or direct me to a website to look?

I know Bamachicken is really good at ID'ing her own - Julie, how do you do it when they're so young!!!?

Thanks!!!

 

[jaybme]

I have limited experience, as I have hatched out only 5 silkies, but can tell you what I learned from here and observing my own.

Roo's tend to have swept back feathers on the head, whereas pullets poof, so to speak.

Later, the roo is supposed to develop streamers off the back of the head, but mine had not by 20 weeks when I gave him to my sis in the country.

Roo's tend to be heavier, for equal ages anyway.

Later
Roo's are alert to danger, and watch the sky ( mine called an alert for airplanes- everyone froze)

Roo's tend to have larger eardrums, pointier tails, and a thicker neck feathering, giving them that male look.

There are more pointers if you do a silkie search here, but that is the most helpful information I gathered for young chickens.

 

[nzpouter]

check the wattle... rooster grows a lot larger ones than hens.

 

[LilPeeps]

The white looks to be a pullet, but it's a bit hard to see in the pic. The second one is definately a cockerel, although he's not a splash. He is a mixed color carrying both blue and gold genes.

In general, a male will be taller and stand more upright than a female. There will be streamers coming from the back of the crest giving it a swept back look, where the crest on a female should be globular. Males will also get pointed hackle and saddle feathers. They will get larger combs and usually larger wattles than a female. The exception would generally be seen when comparing a bearded male with a nonbearded female, because bearded birds tend to have very small wattles compared to nonbearded birds.