silkie sexing

[foofarm]

Anyone want to take a stab at my silkie? 8 weeks old

 

[ebarnes]

You may be able to find him a home via Craigslist.  (Although I give away all my male chicks for free, I always put a small price in the post.  If you write "Free rooster" you'll get all kinds of crazy responding.)

Our roos are extremely docile.  Some go through a testing phase between 8-12 months, but you must evaluate each roo individually,  We keep ours in the garage at night.  They are very used to being picked up.  It's not that they're "lap chickens" but they don't run away or fuss when held.  If one seems to be acting like he wants a challenge, we simply pick him up. Not in a mean or rough way. Not upside down. I just pick him up & carry him under my arm for a while.  They don't like not being in control, so it's my way of showing them that I'm the boss..... and also that I'm not bully, rival, or threat.  I simply won't tolerate them attacking another roo.

We only had one unpredictable roo.  He was sent to freezer camp.

Do you feel like picking them up for a bit actually works? It's weird because he won't do anything to me. I can walk right up to him and just grab him. I always hold him and rub him and do baby talk to him lol he never throws a fit or wants down like my others. He seems very content being loved. I thought at first my sister just scared him then my mom came over and started taunting him and now it seems like he won't stop attacking everyone. My 8 year old daughter was just out giving him treats and he started pecking her feet and like drop kicking her

I wanted so badly to laugh because it looks hilarious but I know it's not good and she was terrified. I would love to keep him because he's my little baby but not if I can't stop the aggressive behavior.

 

[Faraday40]

Do you feel like picking them up for a bit actually works? It's weird because he won't do anything to me. I can walk right up to him and just grab him. I always hold him and rub him and do baby talk to him lol he never throws a fit or wants down like my others. He seems very content being loved. I thought at first my sister just scared him then my mom came over and started taunting him and now it seems like he won't stop attacking everyone. My 8 year old daughter was just out giving him treats and he started pecking her feet and like drop kicking her

I wanted so badly to laugh because it looks hilarious but I know it's not good and she was terrified. I would love to keep him because he's my little baby but not if I can't stop the aggressive behavior.

Sadly if a roo feels like he's above some one (Like if they run away from him), he'll continue to chase after that individual. When our son was 4 a young roo had that idea about my son. It was too difficult to explain to a 4 yr old. The roo never tried it when I was near DS, but the poor kid couldn't use the backyard unless I locked up the roo. It was only our son whom he chased. We found the roo a good home. The harder part was training the kids. Chickens & young kids are a tough combo. Kids have unpredictable movements which can confuse animals. When a roo has females to protect, that's his primary focus.

Here are some things that I had to teach the kids:
"They're just birds" Make sure the kids know that they're bigger & in control.

"If they are acting too cocky, just pick them up." Show the kids how to correctly hold them. We put ours in the garage each night, so that's at least 2xs per day they're being carried. I make the kids carry them often to show the roos who's in control and give the kids confidence holding them..

"Never run away from a roo." (It tells him that he's won.)

"Always keep an eye on the roo, know where he is, & don't turn your back on him." A roo may try to sneak up on you & gently bump into you while you're walking or busy cleaning. It's his way of testing. If you are facing him, he won't try it. It's almost comical. I saw mine running to catch up to me & then full stop when I turned my head in his direction.

"Be respectful & in charge." Never bully, hit, or throw things at a bird. You could accidently hurt them & will teach them that they need to fear you. If a roo fears you, he'll want to protect the hens from you and the battle may escalate.

"Don't chase chickens &/or make the hens squawk." After all a roo's job is to protect them. If he feels a person is a threat, he'll have to attack.

 

[ebarnes]

Sadly if a roo feels like he's above some one (Like if they run away from him), he'll continue to chase after that individual.  When our son was 4 a young roo had that idea about my son.  It was too difficult to explain to a 4 yr old.  The roo never tried it when I was near DS, but the poor kid couldn't use the backyard unless I locked up the roo.  It was only our son whom he chased.  We found the roo a good home.  The harder part was training the kids.  Chickens & young kids are a tough combo.  Kids have unpredictable movements which can confuse animals.  When a roo has females to protect, that's his primary focus.

Here are some things that I had to teach the kids:
"They're just birds" Make sure the kids know that they're bigger & in control.  

"If they are acting too cocky, just pick them up."  Show the kids how to correctly hold them.  We put ours in the garage each night, so that's at least 2xs per day they're being carried.  I make the kids carry them often to show the roos who's in control and give the kids confidence holding them..

"Never run away from a roo."  (It tells him that he's won.)

"Always keep an eye on the roo, know where he is, & don't turn your back on him."  A roo may try to sneak up on you & gently bump into you while you're walking or busy cleaning.   It's his way of testing.  If you are facing him, he won't try it.  It's almost comical.  I saw mine running to catch up to me & then full stop when I turned my head in his direction.

"Be respectful & in charge."  Never bully, hit, or throw things at a bird.  You could accidently hurt them & will teach them that they need to fear you.  If a roo fears you, he'll want to protect the hens from you and the battle may escalate.

"Don't chase chickens &/or make the hens squawk."  After all a roo's job is to protect them.  If he feels a person is a threat, he'll have to attack.

Thank you so much for your advice!! My chickens are in a coop until I get home from work and then I let them free range the yard. I was getting off late so I had my sister let them out and she's a bit scared of them. She said he was trying to eat a butterfly and jumping up and down and it scared her so she ran and that's when he attacked he lol. So her running away must have triggered it. Ill be sure to let them know not to do that anymore. My one hen he usually protects against the cats and scared them off but she's broody right now and has left the nest box for a couple weeks. I thought he'd be less protective because of that but maybe it makes him more on edge?

 

[BCSbyc]

[/IMG][/IMG]I posted a few months back...still trying to determine if this is a pulley or cockerel? Any thoughts? The chick is almost five months old.

Thanks for your opinions!

[/IMG][/IMG][/IMG]

 

[ambabya]

[/IMG][/IMG]I posted a few months back...still trying to determine if this is a pulley or cockerel? Any thoughts? The chick is almost five months old.

Thanks for your opinions!

[/IMG][/IMG][/IMG]

Looks like a lass to me

 

[ebarnes]

[/IMG][/IMG]I posted a few months back...still trying to determine if this is a pulley or cockerel? Any thoughts? The chick is almost five months old.

Thanks for your opinions!

[/IMG][/IMG][/IMG]

Looks like a pullet to me I'm no expert but my cockerel is about the same he and he has huge reddish wattles and a big fat nasty comb. I'll take some pictures later for you

 

[BCSbyc]

Thanks so much for your input! Sure am hoping for a little girl, but no eggs yet. No crowing either, so that's a good sign!

 

[Faraday40]

We got a lot of rain (& flooding yesterday) DD was worried about her spoiled silkie, so she brought it inside to dry off. Then she took a pic of her 8 wk old next to her 1.5 wk old.
Silkies certainly look silly when wet!

The black one looks like a female to me & the white one was from a store & supposed to be a pullet.

 

[Chicnextdoor84]

[/IMG][/IMG]I posted a few months back...still trying to determine if this is a pulley or cockerel? Any thoughts? The chick is almost five months old.

Thanks for your opinions!

[/IMG][/IMG][/IMG]

looks like a pretty pullet to me!