Silkies 6 weeks old - roo or hen?

[ella2025]

Hi! I have 3 silkies chicks that are 6 weeks old. They were sold as straight run. I've got black, white, and red. Please excuse the poor lighting, they are currently in the basement because we are still building their coop.

I have a pretty big suspicion that the black one, Carlos, is a roo. It has some red wattles already and it's comb Is elongated and looks like a bump on his head.

The white one, unnamed, also has big-ish combs and has small wattles, but it's skin is completely black, not pinkish like the black one.

Red one is called cindy-nicest of the 3 (the other 2 I need to grab them in my hand or they will sprint away screaming.) and is SIGNIFICANTLY larger and has more feathers than Carlos and unnamed. However she doesn't have any sign of wattles and has a barely noticeable comb.

Other than the gender question, I've also noticed that none of them had a big bump on their head when I first got them at a day old. Now, Carlos and white one still have absolutely no credit, beard or muffs, while Cindy has a small crest, but nowhere near as big as it should be by now. I got these at a feed store that I think supplies their chicks from Ideal. I think maybe the quality just isn't great, but has this happened to any of you guys?

Thank you so much for reading my rant!!!

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

Your buff is likely your only pullet. Hatchery-quality Silkies typically have much smaller crests. I doubt yours will be super crested but they may grow some. The “bump” on the head would be a vaulted skull and this is often seen in show-quality Silkies

 

[ella2025]

Your buff is likely your only pullet. Hatchery-quality Silkies typically have much smaller crests. I doubt yours will be super crested but they may grow some. The “bump” on the head would be a vaulted skull and this is often seen in show-quality Silkies

Thank you so much!! Does the vaulted skull affect the brain?

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

Thank you so much!! Does the vaulted skull affect the brain?

Actually yes it does! It affects the brain shape in many areas and perhaps cognition. I think there are definitely ethical issues with vaulted skulls personally. To my understanding, it’s like having a soft spot and leaves the brain unprotected

 

[ella2025]

Aw, that's so cruel!
I have some better photos of the white silkie right here.

They're really skittish, and their attitude is pissy when I pick them up . Does that mean they're gonna be aggressive roos once they grow up?

 

[Ladybird CA]

That last one looks like a cockerel

 

[ella2025]

Ok thank you!

 

[ella2025]

I will have 9 hens (all sexed as hens but I might end up with another roo that isn't a silkie, who knows). Will I have to get rid of one of the roos?

 

[Ladybird CA]

With bantams you don’t need as many females. They might get along although in my friend’s case she had one bantam cochin and a polish rooster and about 10 hens, it didn’t work out because a standard rooster needs at least 10 hens or zero hens (bachelor pad). So they would get along if you get more hens ( if they fight) or maybe separate them from the hens so they can’t see or hear them