Silkie or not? Boy or girl?

[DerbyChook]

This little guy hatched with a batch of white and partridge silkie eggs I bought from a local farmer to put under my broody hen. He has the extra toe, but also has smooth feathers and is a bit larger than his siblings. Is he pure silkie, or did another poppa get into the coop? He hatched weekend of April 2nd, so he is almost four weeks old. Also, is it a he? I am thinking yes, due to the pretty tail feathers and slightly more masculine countenance, but I am (clearly) not very experienced about these things.

 

[kentuckysilkies]

It is a mix, some other breed got into the Silkie pen. It looks like a pullet to me.

 

[bantamsrmyfav]

Quote:
x2

 

[stellacat]

Yes it does have some silkie in him. And I do think it's a he.

 

[FireTigeris]

Blue skin, five toes, (both feet?), looks like he got bad genes- I had a hard featured, large, roo silkie.

That's what he looked like.

 

[bantamsrmyfav]

Still a pretty roo.

 

[orpingtonbabies]

I'm guessing he's a mix. He has the same tail and feet as my younger silkies but their wings are far more scraggly (so far you've got the prettier bird

)

 

[DerbyChook]

Here's hoping it is a hen. Can't keep roos in my city coop, and it will be hard to re-home if it is a mix or bad genes

She is pretty, whatever she is. Pure white, smooth feathers and a saucy little tail. I am calling her Dove and hoping for the best

 

[bantamsrmyfav]

Nice name, I had an Old English named Dove, she was the sweetest little thing.

 

[Karrie13]

I think it is a silkie mix too... I have one that I hatched out in Feb and it has the 5 toes (perfect spacing too), black skin, black legs, walnut comb but has feathers like yours. They are softer than a normal chickens feathers but still have the feather shafts.

I hatched mine on purpose from an silkie rooster and an EE hen (blue egg) to see what they would look like so I know mine is a mix. I don't have any pictures of mine yet.

As far as gender or yours goes? I am not sure. Silkies and silkie mixes are very difficult to sex. I suspect mine is a little roo but don't know for sure. He is now 10 weeks old and hasn't crowed yet.