silkie sexing

[howfunkyisurchicken]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/5961609/

Cockerel. He's got a small comb for a rooster, but its there. His streamers have become very obvious as well. No crowing yet, but he tid bits for the girls alot, which is pretty funny because they usually just ignore him!

 

[niqueie]

Wondering about my silkie. Is she a he or she?
She is my only silkie and about 1.5-2 months old

Here's another.

She is dirty as it rained a little while ago and stored up some mud.

Here is one last picture

So what do you guys think???
Hope she's a girl!!

 

[Veer67]

Wondering about my silkie. Is she a he or she?
She is my only silkie and about 1.5-2 months old

Here's another.


She is dirty as it rained a little while ago and stored up some mud.

Here is one last picture


So what do you guys think???
Hope she's a girl!!

I would say rooster from the comb size and bumps.

 

[CarolinaHen]

I would say rooster from the comb size and bumps.

x2

 

[Aaisha]

x2

x3

 

[niqueie]

Oh, dang it. Should I give up hope now and try to rehome her/him or should I hold out hope and wait for her/him to grow bigger?

 

[Tricoglossus]

Depends on what you want. Do you want to keep him for a bit longer and enjoy having him? Can you not keep a rooster? I have one 13 week old silkie and I have known he was a rooster for a month, but I like having him around for now. I'm waiting to see how noisy he will be!

 

[jajeanpierre]

Depends on what you want. Do you want to keep him for a bit longer and enjoy having him? Can you not keep a rooster? I have one 13 week old silkie and I have known he was a rooster for a month, but I like having him around for now. I'm waiting to see how noisy he will be!

I have two totally useless cockerels that I might keep indefinitely. They aren't even nice pets. One is a hatchery Silkie and the other is the double copy frizzle (frazzle) bantam Cochin. They have their own pen apart from the rest of my birds and I let them out in my back yard to forage. They are quite happy together and not a bother although I do bring them inside the house at night so they don't bother the neighbors in the morning (their pen is close to the neighbors house).

I'll keep the frazzle just because he is so ugly he is cute, but might slaughter the Silkie.

Be honest with yourself and realize that if you do "rehome" him he is likely to end up on someone's dinner plate unless he is an outstanding specimen, which I doubt he is. My own philosophy is that if I can't keep them, I'll put on my big-girl pants and slaughter them myself. For the majority of cockerels, that is their fate and I want to make it as kind and humane as possible. Plus, why should someone else enjoy the very expensive and healthy meat I've produced for free?

I have racehorses in Canada where horse slaughter is legal. There has been a real problem with people sending them to slaughter, but it is not the owners or trainers who are doing it. Lots of racehorses are retired every year and could go on to be wonderful riding horses. People will come up to get "free" horses, promising a good home--sometimes even bringing their young children--and trick the trainers into giving them horses. They then immediately send them to slaughter. The trainers never even know and would have done anything to prevent it. So, just because someone comes and promises a good pet home, be very skeptical. Be honest, who wants a rooster?

Others have suggested that people just "let them out" to fend for themselves. The idea is that you let nature (hawks, foxes, raccoons) take care of your problem. I think that is a horrible thing to do to an animal you have lovingly raised, and is certainly not a nice way to die. The other downside is you teach the predators that their is chicken available on your property and, believe me, once they know that they'll keep coming back hoping for more.

 

[niqueie]

I can't keep roosters. If I could I would definitely keep him. I am sad to not be able to keep him. I totally understand that they might end up as dinner. But are silkies good for meat? I can't see them being meat birds, but I am very new to chickens. Thanks for your help and info.

 

[BinaryChicken]

Quote: X4

I can't keep roosters. If I could I would definitely keep him. I am sad to not be able to keep him. I totally understand that they might end up as dinner. But are silkies good for meat? I can't see them being meat birds, but I am very new to chickens. Thanks for your help and info.

In china they do eat them, their skin is black which many people find off-putting to eat, but yes, you can eat Silkie meat.