Silkies - trying to sex by behaviour

[Steph n Kel]

Hi there,

My question is, do (or can) hens splay their hackle feathers when they are "bumping chests" and establishing the pecking order? I'm not worried about their behaviour - I understand it's normal - but I have noticed that some of the birds will "bump", run at , or peck another bird but they never have the definite splaying of the hackle feathers while 3 others do. The difference is very obvious. On the white bird you can even see her black skin when she does this. Does this mean these 3 are cockerels/roosters?

Thanks in advance!

S & K.

 

[sourland]

Pullets/hens will flare their hackles when fighting/mock fighting - generally not as long as cockerels or roosters.