Silkie thread!

[Hinotori]

So black heads mean male or that’s not to breed standards? Thank you for the help just trying to figure it all out.

Black on the belly and tail like the bird on right in the chair picture means male. There is also a male variant in partridge silkies where the males are orange. This is not a showable or to standard color. It's also a pain in the rear to breed out.

Black head can be male or female. Many people like the the looks of it and if you're not showing, it doesn't matter. It is very striking.

 

[FirstTimeClucky]

That's great. The combs tend to tell the tale early on more than anything. That's how I knew the three black cockerels I recently bought were boys even though they are young.

If he does turn out to be a roo, I'd rather keep him if possible. Right now he's standing on my shoulder preening my hair. Then he will tuck himself up against my neck, stretch his bald neck out on my chest and fall asleep. I've tried to take pics of this, but as soon as I move to get the camera that's it. I'm guessing he won't be so cuddly when he gets older, right now he probably thinks I'm his mother and is trying to tuck himself under my wing. He was hatched and raised indoors by the breeder, and I'm guessing he may never have seen another chicken. He cries loudly in the evenings until I bring him out and give him some shoulder time.

I used to have an African Grey here for 10 years. They are LOUD - enough to make your ears ring for a while. Nobody ever complained about him, in fact after I rehomed him neighbours were coming to my door asking what happened to him! He had gone hormonal and vicious, and I had to send him to a breeder.

 

[Hinotori]

Mom has an amazon that's around 13. She gets in screaming moods sometimes. A rooster crowing is much nicer.

My cuddle boys usually wouldn't do it as adults IF females could see them. If I bring them inside they will happily cuddle for a bit

 

[FirstTimeClucky]

Mom has an amazon that's around 13. She gets in screaming moods sometimes. A rooster crowing is much nicer.

My Grey became obsessed with breeding, to the point where he'd hang upside down from the top of his cage, swinging from side to side and emitting extremely loud, high pitched rhythmic mating calls which sounded like bed springs creaking. He'd stay up there for days, pooping all over himself and refusing to come down for any reason including eating or drinking. To snap him out of it I'd have to put gloves on, forcibly unhook his claws from the cage, and put him in a plastic cat crate with food and water. He also became very cage aggressive and would lunge viciously at me whenever I came near the cage to take care of food, water etc.

My cuddle boys usually wouldn't do it as adults IF females could see them. If I bring them inside they will happily cuddle for a bit

That's funny! Reminds me of a boy who doesn't want his mother to kiss or hug him in front of the girls he's trying to impress!

I'm curious to know how my "boy" will react as he grows up. Right now he is really attached to me and runs up and down the length of his cage excitedly when I come near. He's growing out of his constant cheeping phase but still makes different sounds when I'm around. For example, when he sees I'm doing the morning chores he starts running up and down making a chirp which I call his "feed me" chirp. Every morning I give him a small dish with about a teaspoon of chopped greens mixed with yogurt, which he loves. He even gurgles away trying to chirp while he's eating the yogurt. And of course there's his "yelling" which starts when it gets dark, that's when he wants to come out for some shoulder time.

My two Silkie pullets still seem to like their cuddle time. I still put each of them on my lap for a cuddle session every day or two. The partridge seems more affectionate now that she's laying eggs, I guess her hormones are in full swing now.

 

[moomoodiddy]

My Grey became obsessed with breeding, to the point where he'd hang upside down from the top of his cage, swinging from side to side and emitting extremely loud, high pitched rhythmic mating calls which sounded like bed springs creaking. He'd stay up there for days, pooping all over himself and refusing to come down for any reason including eating or drinking. To snap him out of it I'd have to put gloves on, forcibly unhook his claws from the cage, and put him in a plastic cat crate with food and water. He also became very cage aggressive and would lunge viciously at me whenever I came near the cage to take care of food, water etc.

House birds are beautiful and I have had a few finches and parakeets in my day, but they just seem to be really moody and hard to take care of. I would never have a larger one like an Amazon or African Grey.

 

[SilkiesRcool]

@Gray Farms any opinions on my silkies? About 2 pages back

 

[pointsalamander]

Hi! I am the owner of 1 silkie... (yes just 1) I also have 2 salmon faverolles. I was told that the eggs one of my salmon faverolle was laying was fertilized... which leaves me in a bind... which of the other two is a roo! (I live in an area that a stray chicken would be very rare and owning a rooster is banned and will get your permit removed).

So can anyone help... is Feather a girl like we have though for months... or a sneaky roo? All these photos are the same bird as remember I only have the 1. I have had Feather for a little over 6 months and got her as a week old chick. (no one at my house crows, no mounting... nothign like that just the suspect egg *which I took for a whole different reason and was surprised to hear it was fertile*)

 

[Gray Farms]

@Gray Farms any opinions on my silkies? About 2 pages back

All four look like pullets to me from those pictures. I don't see any that are showing males signs.

 

[SilkiesRcool]

Thank goodness lol last time I bought silkies I got 5 males and one hen this is nearly the opposite and a blessing.thank you for your input

 

[Gray Farms]

Thank goodness lol last time I bought silkies I got 5 males and one hen this is nearly the opposite and a blessing.thank you for your input

Glad to help.