Silkie Newbie - Pullet Or Cockerel?

[VyInRI]

I very recently (as in five nights ago) acquired three Silkies. The woman I acquired them from said she believed them to be about 2-3 months old, but that as they came from a large free range property with hundreds of birds owned by her father, she wasn't entirely sure. I was looking for pullets only, but there's a chance one - the splash - may be a cockerel. Today, I was sitting with them out in my vegetable garden while they pecked around when the splash started making the loudest noise I have ever heard. I looked up and saw a ginger cat stalking my birds…so naturally, I chased the brat away…with a pitchfork.

Will pullets or hens do this, or is this rooster behavior - warning his girls of danger? The bird did it for a minutes, and the other two didn't make a peep. It breaks my heart that Whiskey may be a roo because I've already become attached, but I can't keep roos. Whiskey also seems to look totally different from the other two, and is significantly bigger, though it could be an age difference. Here are some photos.





the black is Banjo, the white is Number Nine, and the splash is Whiskey. Whiskey is the Silkie in question.


Whiskey, in my opinion, looks totally different from Banjo and Number Nine…the crest (?) being totally different.

Help! I can't keep roos, and if Whiskey is one, I have to rehome. I'm already devastated at the thought of giving my Whiskey away, so I want to be sure, but I still have a lot to learn. Please help!

 

[BantamLover21]

I don't think Whiskey looks like a cockerel, since I don't see any streamers coming from the crest, or any large comb/wattles. However, Silkies can be very tricky to sex from appearance, so I could be wrong.

 

[VyInRI]

I will try to post closer photos of Whiskey's head in the next few days for a better look. I'll be devastated if she is a he!

 

[Wyandottes7]

Its a little young to tell for sure, but I think that Whiskey is a pullet.

 

[Basskids08]

I think his stance in pic 2 is like a cockerel. So I'm saying cockerel!

 

[VyInRI]

Two photos of Whiskey from this past weekend.





If it turns out Whiskey is a boy, is there ANYTHING I can do to prevent breeding with my girls? I'll be devastated to have to rehome, but I cannot, cannot, cannot have chicks.

 

[Wyandottes7]

Two photos of Whiskey from this past weekend.





If it turns out Whiskey is a boy, is there ANYTHING I can do to prevent breeding with my girls? I'll be devastated to have to rehome, but I cannot, cannot, cannot have chicks.

To me, Whiskey is still looking like a pullet.

Even if you keep Whiskey and he's a rooster and breeds your hens, you don't have to have chicks. As long as you don't incubate the eggs and don't let the hens set on the eggs, you won't get chicks. Fertile eggs are basically identical to infertile eggs until incubated. There is only a very slight difference on the yolk of the egg that you wouldn't notice if you didn't look (even if you did look, it can be hard to tell). Fertile eggs won't hatch or develop if kept in a refrigerator or at temperatures below 100 degrees F. or so.

 

[VyInRI]

Thanks for the info! It was discussed and decided tonight that we have become too attached to Whiskey, so the muppet gets to stay regardless! I'm a very happy chicken mama right now!