Wife brought home a stray

[finster]

My wife brought home a silkie as a pet for our girls hoping we could intrigrate it into our existing flock. Before we can think about doing that, we need to find out if its a pullet or Cockrell. We'll have to rehome it if its not a hen. We have 5 hens currently that are about 8 mo old. This one is around 8-9 weeks old.

 

[drumstick diva]

You may want to keep the silkie as a house chicken. No.1 silkies are extremely difficult to sex before 4-5 mos. of age and sometimes NOT till they crow or lay. No.2 other breeds tend to bully and feather pluck silkies (and polish) because their appearance is so different. If they were all raised together from baby chick hood they are usually accepted into the flock.

Silkies with their vision obscured by chests and beards are often sitting targets for predators. Check out the thread "people with house chickens,"

 

[TexasLisa]

O my, what a beautiful silkie! That first picture has stolen my heart. I hope you can keep it.