Silkie pullets

[bigz1983]

I have been doing some research on Silkies and I have decided that want to buy a silkie pullet or hen. I have read that it's really hard to tell the difference between a silkie pullet and cockerel at young ages. I found someone that is selling 3 month old straight run Silkies for $5 and another seller that has 4 month old Silkie "pullets" for $15. Is the one month difference in a age make much of difference in correctly gendering them? Should I try to get a older silkie hen 6-12 moths to ensure it is a hen? I really don't want to end up with a roo. I bought some pullets from a lady that has a small hatchery and all of them ending up being cockerels so I'm very cautious

 

[chickenmama109]

if you really really don't want a roo I would go with a little older one 6-12 mouths is a good age
you can see there comb and they should be laying soon

I got 12 chicks at tracter supple and only got 1 roo and I love him he is so cute and takes care of the hens he loves his place in the pecking order

good luck with your flock

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

I agree with the wolf. If you want to be certain, I would go with an older one. But they probably wouldn't have to be twelve months. A hen should be laying by then, so maybe just look for one that they say is laying. But in my experience with silkies, I can sex them at a young age, and they haven't ever changed genders.

 

[rebrascora]

The problem with buying straight run from a private breeder, particularly when they are older than a month or two,is that someone with more knowledge than you, may have already been and picked out the obvious pullets leaving you with a higher chance than 50:50 of getting males, so as others have said, steer well clear of straight run if you don't want cockerels. If you are buying "pullets" then there should be some recourse if the seller gets it wrong and you do end up with a cockerel. You would need to clarify this with the seller... ie. that you can exchange any birds that end up being cockerels for a pullet or a refund. Buying older birds is the safest bet, particularly if the breeder is not local and exchanging a bird would involve a long journey.

 

[bigz1983]

Thanks for the advice. I have 2 roosters and I'm keeping them so I don't want anymore. I have a flock of a variety of chickens and I wanted to add a Silkie hen to my flock because I think there cool, they go broody and I have never owned a Silkie before.

The lady with the 4 month old silkie pullets for $15 says she has seen her rooster breed with them and she will band the pullets that she witnessed being bred before I get there to purchase. Should I get some conformation on a exchange if it ends being a cockerel? Or take her work for it that she saw her rooster breed it? Its a 25-30 mile drive for me to pick one up

 

[rebrascora]

I would rethink having a single silkie in a mixed flock with roosters, particularly if they are large fowl roosters rather than bantams. You would be better getting 2 or 3 silkies and keeping them as a separate flock or perhaps in with some mild mannered bantams like pekins (bantam cochins). A single silkie is going to be hard to integrate and will probably always be the odd one out but more importantly vulnerable to injury. Their domed skull is weak and can lead to brain/neurological damage if they get pecked or aggressively bred.

 

[bigz1983]

I would rethink having a single silkie in a mixed flock with roosters, particularly if they are large fowl roosters rather than bantams. You would be better getting 2 or 3 silkies and keeping them as a separate flock or perhaps in with some mild mannered bantams like pekins (bantam cochins). A single silkie is going to be hard to integrate and will probably always be the odd one out but more importantly vulnerable to injury. Their domed skull is weak and can lead to brain/neurological damage if they get pecked or aggressively bred.

I thought about that. I have 3 chicken coops. I was thinking about putting the silkie hen in my small mini coop with a gold laced polish crested we bought a couple weeks ago at a small animal swap

 

[drumstick diva]

that sounds like a better idea