Silkies so confused

[Oncoming Storm]

You might be right the rest don’t have any obvious saddle feathers while the chicken all the way to the left in the first pic is a dfineite roo. I just don’t see Silkie hens with such big combs and wattles?

It could be what they’re mixed with. I have several hens that had large combs at a young age. Plus the tail shape on pic 1 has a hen look to it. This is an interesting challenge.

 

[Flockincrazy]

It could be what they’re mixed with. I have several hens that had large combs at a young age. Plus the tail shape on pic 1 has a hen look to it. This is an interesting challenge.

Now you know why I'm so confused

 

[NatJ]

Do any of them crow? It might be worth going outside early in the morning to see.

Do any of them lay eggs?

Eggs are proof of a hen, crowing usually means a rooster. (It is rare but possible for a hen to crow.)

Silkies are hard to sex visually, so sometimes it helps to look for other signs (crowing, eggs).

For some reason, the chickens themselves seem to figure it out just fine, so if you observe any mating, that would also tell you the gender of the two involved. If they live with any other chickens, you could watch how the other chickens interact with them, too.

 

[Flockincrazy]

Do any of them crow? It might be worth going outside early in the morning to see.

Do any of them lay eggs?

Eggs are proof of a hen, crowing usually means a rooster. (It is rare but possible for a hen to crow.)

Silkies are hard to sex visually, so sometimes it helps to look for other signs (crowing, eggs).

For some reason, the chickens themselves seem to figure it out just fine, so if you observe any mating, that would also tell you the gender of the two involved. If they live with any other chickens, you could watch how the other chickens interact with them, too.

The big one crows and one of the others kinda crows no eggs and they're all in a batchler coop so if there are any hens I don't want them chestered all day every day

 

[LynnaePB]

Those cuties look like hatchery quality silkies to me. I sometimes have a harder time sexing those since the crest doesn't provide as much of a hint into sex.

Being non bearded both the females and males will have much larger wattles than bearded silkies where the beard greatly decreases wattle size.

The one with the large wattles is very obviously a cockerel. The rest look pullet like to me but if one is crowing it could just be a slow developer. Of course some pullets can actually crow, I've yet to have one myself but I've heard of them.

 

[Flockincrazy]

My only concern is that they were rehomed to me as roosters and they're all in a batchler coop if they are hens I don't want them hurt by the other roosters a few of them are big roosters and silkies in general are so docile i just don't want anyone to get hurt

 

[LynnaePB]

Ah yeah I see your predicament. Hopefully they are all boys then and the one just developed earlier. I could definitely be wrong about them looking like girls, with the three having what looks like single combs and smaller crests it is tough for me to really say. I'm mostly going by how much the one looks like a male compared to the others.

Results probably wouldn't be quick with the virus slowing things down but there is always the option of getting them DNA sexed. I think a lot of places cost less than 15 per test.

I hope you are able to figure out what they are without having to go through the hassle of getting them DNA sexed though.

 

[NatJ]

My only concern is that they were rehomed to me as roosters and they're all in a batchler coop if they are hens I don't want them hurt by the other roosters a few of them are big roosters and silkies in general are so docile i just don't want anyone to get hurt

Are the other roosters mating with them? Are the silkies getting bald patches on their backs?

If you were told that they are roosters, and if they are in the bachelor coop but no-one's mating with them, then they are almost certainly roosters!

(You could put a hen in the bachelor coop temporarily to see how they react--might make it easier to interpret their actions in future.)

(Or you could put just one of the silkies in a pen with hens. If he mates with them, then he's obviously male. After you put him back where he belongs, repeat with the other one you're really not sure about. Don't bother trying to test either of the ones who were crowing--they are males.)

 

[Flockincrazy]

Ah yeah I see your predicament. Hopefully they are all boys then and the one just developed earlier. I could definitely be wrong about them looking like girls, with the three having what looks like single combs and smaller crests it is tough for me to really say. I'm mostly going by how much the one looks like a male compared to the others.

Results probably wouldn't be quick with the virus slowing things down but there is always the option of getting them DNA sexed. I think a lot of places cost less than 15 per test.

I hope you are able to figure out what they are without having to go through the hassle of getting them DNA sexed though.

So i got an egg today so one of them is definitely a hen but what one this is so frustrating

 

[Oncoming Storm]

So i got an egg today so one of them is definitely a hen but what one this is so frustrating

You could rotate each in the group, put them in isolation for a day, see if they lay an egg?