Fur-N-Fowl
Fluffy Dinosaur Breeder
What's the sex of my two Silkies?
Your guess is as good as mine...
I'm only posting this thread as I've had suspicions arise as to who is what.
Please note that I do know Silkies are difficult to sex and regardless of what people say, I will be keeping both till they are at least 6 months old. By that age I can usually tell for sure, unless a very prominent comb etc pops up.
I'm taking this as an opportunity to get people's thoughts!
So let's go back to the beginning...
A few people will remember me posting Oogy (bought as lavender, turned out to be blue) which I purchased when 'she' was 3-4 months old.
All seemed fine and dandy, lovely little Silkie that merged well into my flock.
My cockerel has never paid any attention to her at all, he's never touched her in a bad or good way. I put that down to her being so young.
Her place was of course, at the bottom of the pecking order but there was never ever fights or squabbles.
Additionally, there was absolutely no sign of her being a male. Not even the slightest or tiniest indication of her being one.
So, time moves on and she is now around 5 months old, still looking and acting like a pullet.
Until...
Along comes baby Carrot!
Carrot is around 9-10 weeks old. 'She' came with three other chicks which are 100% cockerels and looked completely different despite being siblings.
Carrots siblings had slicked back crests, definite comb and wattle development and their behaviour was quite literally wild!
Carrot was the only one that was quiet and calm, had a huge crest, no comb development and generally acted like a pullet would.
I'm definitely not keeping Carrots three siblings but I am hoping Carrot is female.
Anyways, I had Carrot quarantined and then kept her along side the coop/run so that my flock could get used to her.
Eventually, the day came around where it was Carrots introduction day to the flock.
I popped her down in the run and well, all was fine!
My cockerel never touched her, my dominant hens/pullets never touched her and all seemed great. Until along came Oogy...
What an absolute behavioural change Oogy had.
Oogy's hackles were up, legs were flying up at Carrot and Oogy was trying to (what seemed to be) forcefully mount Carrot.
Oogy has never done this with any other Silkies in my flock.
When Oogy 'attacks' Carrot, my dominant hen will bite/peck Oogy as if to tell them off.
Ever since I introduced Carrot, Oogy walks around with her neck stretched as if she's showing off.
Both Oogy and Carrot sound like trumpets.
My best guess is that Oogy is female, but really doesn't want to loose her already low space on the pecking order or she is in fact a male.
If Oogy does turn out to be a Cockerel, the breeder said she'd replace her with another pullet.
If Carrot is a Cockerel well, she only cost me £1.50 so I'm not complaining.
Neither have any definite signs of being a male yet. Out of them both, I am thinking Carrot is more male like though.
Ugh...Silkies, who would have them
Oogy:
(3-4 months old)
(4-5 months old)
(5 monthd old/today)
Carrot:
(9-10 weeks old)
Your guess is as good as mine...
I'm only posting this thread as I've had suspicions arise as to who is what.
Please note that I do know Silkies are difficult to sex and regardless of what people say, I will be keeping both till they are at least 6 months old. By that age I can usually tell for sure, unless a very prominent comb etc pops up.
I'm taking this as an opportunity to get people's thoughts!
So let's go back to the beginning...
A few people will remember me posting Oogy (bought as lavender, turned out to be blue) which I purchased when 'she' was 3-4 months old.
All seemed fine and dandy, lovely little Silkie that merged well into my flock.
My cockerel has never paid any attention to her at all, he's never touched her in a bad or good way. I put that down to her being so young.
Her place was of course, at the bottom of the pecking order but there was never ever fights or squabbles.
Additionally, there was absolutely no sign of her being a male. Not even the slightest or tiniest indication of her being one.
So, time moves on and she is now around 5 months old, still looking and acting like a pullet.
Until...
Along comes baby Carrot!
Carrot is around 9-10 weeks old. 'She' came with three other chicks which are 100% cockerels and looked completely different despite being siblings.
Carrots siblings had slicked back crests, definite comb and wattle development and their behaviour was quite literally wild!
Carrot was the only one that was quiet and calm, had a huge crest, no comb development and generally acted like a pullet would.
I'm definitely not keeping Carrots three siblings but I am hoping Carrot is female.
Anyways, I had Carrot quarantined and then kept her along side the coop/run so that my flock could get used to her.
Eventually, the day came around where it was Carrots introduction day to the flock.
I popped her down in the run and well, all was fine!
My cockerel never touched her, my dominant hens/pullets never touched her and all seemed great. Until along came Oogy...
What an absolute behavioural change Oogy had.
Oogy's hackles were up, legs were flying up at Carrot and Oogy was trying to (what seemed to be) forcefully mount Carrot.
Oogy has never done this with any other Silkies in my flock.
When Oogy 'attacks' Carrot, my dominant hen will bite/peck Oogy as if to tell them off.
Ever since I introduced Carrot, Oogy walks around with her neck stretched as if she's showing off.
Both Oogy and Carrot sound like trumpets.
My best guess is that Oogy is female, but really doesn't want to loose her already low space on the pecking order or she is in fact a male.
If Oogy does turn out to be a Cockerel, the breeder said she'd replace her with another pullet.
If Carrot is a Cockerel well, she only cost me £1.50 so I'm not complaining.
Neither have any definite signs of being a male yet. Out of them both, I am thinking Carrot is more male like though.
Ugh...Silkies, who would have them
Oogy:
(3-4 months old)
(4-5 months old)
(5 monthd old/today)
Carrot:
(9-10 weeks old)
