It depends on the age. Age at this point is where you can see the feathers. Also the color of the barred breeds.
It depends on the age. Age at this point is where you can see the feathers. Also the color of the barred breeds.
Like this, you can see pointy feathers at the neck--hackle feathers. and the pointy feathers at the back, saddle feathers. Notice that the hen in the picture does not have them and she is darker because she only has one set of barring genes.
I usually go by the curling tail feathers and comb and wattles size and what shade of feathering they have to tell if they are rooster or not good luckIt depends on the age. Age at this point is where you can see the feathers. Also the color of the barred breeds. Like this, you can see pointy feathers at the neck--hackle feathers. and the pointy feathers at the back, saddle feathers. Notice that the hen in the picture does not have them and she is darker because she only has one set of barring genes.
Here is an older picture of the hatchery silkies we have (excuse the half naked Polish in the background). I'm not a fan of them. Half the size of the ones I got from a breeder, and skittish. The breeder birds are unfortunately in the coop brooding so you can't see them. Won't be getting any more. I'm not a fan of hatchery Polish either. Half failed to thrive. This one kept getting out of the run and wandering off, instead of sticking close to other hens. Once she was found 1/4 mile away under someone's bush laying an egg. Lucky for her that town's animal control officer searched around to see where she may have come from and returned her. She pulled the same stunt one other time and that was it, never saw her again.
That's a handsome cock. I'd bet hens of that cross would really put out some eggs!
My Welsummer Black Australorp cross roo. He is quite big!
