Silkie thread!

[PouleNoire]

I don't see any wattles. Pictures below were just taken a few minutes ago.

Are you sure your silkie isn't a bearded silkie? I know that with Amerucanas and other bearded breeds either they have very little wattles or, more commonly, no wattles at all. This is the same with both males and females. If your silkie is bearded, it will be very hard to tell male or female because he/she may never get wattles. She/he is very cute regardless if it is a boy or a girl

, good luck!

 

[LisPrissy]

Sometimes hens will crow but I have read that a lot of times the only time they will crow is if there is no rooster in the flock because technically the hen is taking over the role of the rooster, even crowing.  The wattles do look rather big and even the comb seems to be big, I would say rooster.

Ugh! That's what I was leaning to

 

[Crazy For Color]

Are you sure your silkie isn't a bearded silkie? I know that with Amerucanas and other bearded breeds either they have very little wattles or, more commonly, no wattles at all. This is the same with both males and females. If your silkie is bearded, it will be very hard to tell male or female because he/she may never get wattles. She/he is very cute regardless if it is a boy or a girl

, good luck!

Thank you! Either way, I'm in love and allowed to keep a rooster so we'll just wait and see and enjoy him/her regardless (Would really love to enjoy eggs also! LOL!) I'm not sure about bearded or not. When I got him/her from the hatchery, I was just told silkie. But that would explain why we're not seeing wattles at all. He's acting more like himself today, I've caught him hanging with his buddy a few times already. If all goes well, later today we are going to a farm to bring a silkie friend home for him . I'm hoping to get one around the same age so it's less of a transition period for them. My plan after the quarantine period, is to use an x pen as a temporary run and set it next to the existing run. Depending on how well they do will determine how many days I need to do this but I hope they adjust quickly

 

[QueenMisha]

Hen or Roo?? She/he is about 4mths old. I do have another that we are positive is a roo. This one , we were sure was a hen until, what seemed like overnight, she developed wattles. It did start crowing but I've been told a hen will sometimes do that. It has always stayed right with the other hens and the rooster tries to "mate" with it????

That's a cockerel. Occasionally a hen will crow but it's very rare, and 90% of the time when a hen does crow, it's gonna be an old hen (at least several years). So whenever you have a crowing bird you can basically be 99.99% sure it's a lil dude.

As for the mating, in some cases a cockerel might mount and mate another cockerel as either a display of dominance, or if he mistakes the cockerel for a pullet. I have seen my cockbirds go after and mate several of my henny-appearing capons (castrated roosters), much to the capon's dismay. I've also seen it happen in bachelor pads, when the boys have no access to females and gang up on one lower rank cockerel and attempt to mate him.

 

[sbendorf]

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6 week old chicks. All have punk rock type hair which makes me think roosters. Still too early??

 

[sbendorf]

#2

 

[sbendorf]

#3

 

[mccorbin]

Hello, I have a few questions about caring for my silks this winter. I have not had this breed before and have read they need a more insulated enclosure during colder weather. Also how do they fair with those feathers on their feet and cold, wet weather. I have them in a coop with a movable run to free range at the moment. Any info would be great. Thanks

 

[Nksg75]

Regarding cold, you might want to let everyone know how cold? What are your winters like?
I am sorry, I can't help with that particular question, as I am in Texas. Hot, hot and very hot!!
I can tell you about heat though.
In our heat, they seem to do a lot better than our EE.

 

[Crazy For Color]

Here is Impulse with her new buddy!