Updated Silkies - Pullets or cockerel???

[Chick-a-roos]

These are my first silkie babies. They are approx 8 weeks old (photos taken 053009) I will try to get photos tomorrow since they would be alittle older. All opinions are welcomed, please! I hope I don't need to find homes for 2 roos.


"The Chick-a-Roos of Mayberry"

"Helen"......I think Helen was trying to crow this am!

So, looks like I might be changing names.

"Andy"...Roo???? Does waddles on silkies indicate Roo?

I am hoping I don't have two ROOS????



Thanks for photo "araucanasmom". Your speedy looks like my Andy. I hope I get EGGS!

NEW PHOTOS - taken today 061509 Helen's waddles are growing now.

Andy waddles are growing BIGGER!

 

[araucanasmom]

The white one looks like a pullet. The black one could be a cockerel with waddles at 8 weeks, but I have a non bearded pullet that looks male.

Speedy At 5 months just started laying 2 weeks ago.

 

[Chicky Mama]

I was told recently by our 4-H Poultry Leader that the Silkie cockrel top knots will look swept back opposed to poofy.
If that's true your white silk looks like a cockrel,the black maybe also. I was wondering about ours as well and now have an idea of who's who

 

[LilPeeps]

The black is definitely a cockerel, and the white appears to be one as well. Do you have a pic of the white's comb?

Silkie males will get streamers that will give the crest a swept back appearance. These generally do not begin appearing until they are around 3 months.

araucanasmom, your pullet looks like a typical hatchery nb pullet at 5 months. If it were a cockerel, the comb and wattles would be much more prominent. If a silkie has that much development around 2-3 months, it's a cockerel. If she were bearded, her comb would be around the same size, but the wattles would be virtually nonexistent.

 

[Chick-a-roos]

LilPeeps, Hope this photo helps. My odds were not good....two silkies and both cockerel!!

Glad I don't play the lotto!


"Helen" approx 10 weeks old.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Oh my, i would bet money that "Helen" is a roo. Very spiky doo, and that look in the eye, very roostery. i think your little black one is also a rooster - sorry.

araucanasmom, i have seen that pic of your hen on another thread, and i am astounded that is not a rooster. i've never seen a silkie hen, bearded or not, with wattles that big. i think your chicken is secretly trans-gender.

 

[Chick-a-roos]

I am roo sad now

....think I need to sleep on that one! So, what do you do with more than one roo???? I am so attached to them....I don't want to find new homes for one of them! Will they still fight since they have been together all this time? I also have 3 feather legged bantams (1 roo, 2 hens) that were purchased at the same time. I love all my babies!

 

[Linkoso]

We got 11 roos in the same group and they're never fight.
So long as you have enough hens they proplably will get along fine.

It's said that they need at least 3 hens each... You can also have them togheter without hens.
No girls = no fighting to get them.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Chick-a-roos, please don't fret too much. Just give them all time to grow up. We could be wrong. Silkies are so sneaky with their gender. You really need to see how they develop and what their personalities become. At around four months or so, if they are roosters, you will see if they are going to be aggressive or passive. Don't make any decisions until then. i've had roosters who seemed sweet turn mean, then i didn't feel bad rehoming them.

 

[Chick-a-roos]

I hope my chickens are secretly trans-gender like "araucanasmom" Speedy!

My DH said from the beginning he thought "Helen" was the roo since she was doing the chest-bumping at 2 weeks old! She has always had the attitude! They all have their own little personalities. I will just enjoy all of them right now and worry about the ROO issues later. I will keep everyone posted on our changes. Thanks for all the replies!