Silkie Hen Humping at 7 weeks old

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Okay, i think i may have a rooster here. Lulu is one of the sexed silkie chicks i got from mypetchicken.com. All the ones i ordered were supposed to be female. Lulu's always been a bit bigger than the others. They're comng up on 7 weeks old now.

So this morning when i was out in the pen, most all the silkies were laying down in the dirt busy taking bathes. Lulu walks over and on top of one of the others (that i'm pretty sure is a girl) and starts humping her. i pulled her off and set her down. She went over on top of another one and started humping her.

This seems awfully young to be humping, and i have not heard a crow out of her. Is there any chance she is just a perverted pullet? If not, my next question for the experts here, can she possibly hurt the girls by humping them at this young age? Thanks for any advice and guidance.

Here are some pics:

 

[silkiechicken]

She was probably scratching around on the other chicks. Have you seen rooster's mate? It's more of a snatch, grab, tail under and done in 10 seconds deal.

 

[peepsnbunnies]

Lulu looks kind of boyish to me..... prominent comb at 7 weeks, I can see wattles already, and the crest looks like it is slicked back instead of round and poofy like a girls. Of course, you never can tell for sure with silkies until they crow or lay an egg. I don't know about the humping part... never had that happen before.

 

[CtlisencedArborist]

Im puttin my money on boy.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Hi - Thanks for all the input. silkiechicken - i have seen chickens mate, not a very romantic sight. i do see the chicks walking all over each other getting to a dirt bath. Lulu walked over and climbed on top of one of the girls, quite determined, and definitely did the humping motion. When i pulled her off, i did think perhaps i might be mistaken, so put her back down. She walked around in the group, walked over top of a couple of them, then over to another girl, got in position, and did the same thing.

i have not seen her do this when everyone is standing up. Maybe the dirt bath gave her a better vantage point, since they're all still pretty small. And, i had not noticed the wattles before until i looked at these pictures.

You know, i always suspected she might be a rooster, as she is very confrontational, much larger than the rest (she's got huge feet), and walks very upright in comparison to the others.

 

[Chvywmn]

I have a roo that looked just like Lulu at that age. He is going to be beautiful!!!

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Want another one? i can't legally have roosters here.

 

[lurky]

Well, this post has me very interested in looking closer at my silkies. Mine are going to be 7 weeks old on monday and i was not trying to tell yet because i did not think i would know. But yours looks way different than mine. I'm not supposed to have roo's either. You should do like me and make your own rules. Its way more fun

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Lurky, i wish i could make my own rules. One of my favorites Sta-Puff (name stolen from another byc member) is looking (and acting) very roo-like. But he is so cute and smart and personable. He always runs up to me when i go in the pen and looooooks up (probably looking for the treats i usually have, but i would rather think he just likes me).

i spend a lot of time in the pen, trying to learn about each chick, as i know i need to trim down a bit. Plus, still trying to integrate three younger silkies into the group and it's not going well.

Today i sat there and watched a dirt bath session. Lulu did several hump sessions on a chick named Nickie (she was not happy about it) and then i saw Sta-Puff trying to hump Guinevere. Now i'm wondering if a good way to sex chicks prior to the proverbial "crow or lay an egg" is to watch who humps and who gets humped.

Clearly i have too much time on my hands.

 

[lurky]

LOL.......but what a fun way to spent the 'too much time'. Thats good you are paying attention to them enough to know. I think i started making up my own rules when i was very little. I am very good at it now. I remember as a kid thinking how i hated all the rules people made for us and how great it would be to grow up and not have all them rules.......yeah right!!!!