Silkie hen or rooster (4mo)?

[dutchsilkie]

Hi!
My three silkies are 4 months old. One is for sure a hen, and I'm quite sure one is a rooster. The third one I'm not sure about.

It's the most fiery and nosy one. It also loves to correct the other hen. They looked the same up until three months old, then it changed more to look like the rooster, although I still think it looks rounder and softer. The rooster also has a bigger comb and wattles.

I would really like to know if it's a hen or a rooster, because two roosters and one hen is not ideal (quite the opposite).

The silkie in question:

The rooster (or so I think) for comparison. Behind the rooster is the hen, and to her right, near the water bottle, is the silkie I'm talking about.

I have more photos if required.

And if it's a rooster, before which age would it be best to remove one of the roosters? How do you decide which one has to go? And do I add two new hens before of after?

Thank you for your reply and advice.

 

[fluffycrow]

It looks like a cockerel to me.



1 pullet to 2 cockerels is not ideal, for sure. Then again, silkies are very docile. @Debbie292d any ideas? Personally I'd look for a way to separate one, but I've never had a sexually mature pure silkie male

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I would also say it’s a cockerel.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi!
My three silkies are 4 months old. One is for sure a hen, and I'm quite sure one is a rooster. The third one I'm not sure about.

It's the most fiery and nosy one. It also loves to correct the other hen. They looked the same up until three months old, then it changed more to look like the rooster, although I still think it looks rounder and softer. The rooster also has a bigger comb and wattles.

I would really like to know if it's a hen or a rooster, because two roosters and one hen is not ideal (quite the opposite).

The silkie in question:

View attachment 3922000

The rooster (or so I think) for comparison. Behind the rooster is the hen, and to her right, near the water bottle, is the silkie I'm talking about.

View attachment 3922002

I have more photos if required.

And if it's a rooster, before which age would it be best to remove one of the roosters? How do you decide which one has to go? And do I add two new hens before of after?

Thank you for your reply and advice.

So pretty!

We're looking at the one by the water bottle though? I blew it up and it appears to be a cockerel to me too.

If you want more chickens, I'd put both cockerels in a bachelor pen, then look for silkie pullets/hens. If you leave them three together, and one cockerel is passive, it still is 1:1 and not a good ratio. If neither is passive, they'll wind up ripping her back up and could even possibly kill her.

I personally would try asking in poultry groups on Facebook for my state for some high-quality silkie pullets/hens. They can't be sexed as you now know until about 4-5 months so any younger than that, you'd be taking a chance on again, so be careful what you buy.

Even if you choose a rooster to rehome, it's still 1:1.

How would I choose between the two? Most important is their disposition. At 4 months old, they haven't gotten their hormones yet so in a month or two, you'd start seeing aggressive behavior from one or both. That doesn't make it a bad thing necessarily, but I prefer a nicer, calmer rooster.

 

[dutchsilkie]

Hi,

Thank you all for your reply. It's unanimous haha.

@Debbie292d its about the chicken in the first picture, which is the same as the chicken near the water bottle. Although he looks a lot like the other rooster, his comb and wattles are not as big/red. That made me have doubts.

I have the possibility to add either two same age Araucana hens or two Wyandottes (bantams or big ones). Is my train of thinking correct that it's best to do right now so the silkies are with three, and then rehome the rooster? Is one breed preferable over the other when pairing with silkies?

And does it make a difference for their hormones, that when the roosters are 6 months old winter is about to start in the Netherlands? Spring starts in March. Or is it best to re-home before 6 mo?

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi,

Thank you all for your reply. It's unanimous haha.

@Debbie292d its about the chicken in the first picture, which is the same as the chicken near the water bottle. Although he looks a lot like the other rooster, his comb and wattles are not as big/red. That made me have doubts.

I have the possibility to add either two same age Araucana hens or two Wyandottes (bantams or big ones). Is my train of thinking correct that it's best to do right now so the silkies are with three, and then rehome the rooster? Is one breed preferable over the other when pairing with silkies?

And does it make a difference for their hormones, that when the roosters are 6 months old winter is about to start in the Netherlands? Spring starts in March. Or is it best to re-home before 6 mo?

Your seasons are pretty close to ours.

Silkies develop later than your other breeds you mentioned. I would think about now you could start seeing some hormonal changes but surely in the next month or two.

Since yours is borderline ready to start breeding in a month or two and mature enough at around 7-8 months, it depends on if people needed a rooster right now for their flock, or if they saw how beautiful he was, they wouldn't care how old he is, they'd just want him.

Did you eventually want to just breed pure silkies or just seeing what you get by adding the different breeds? They'd be gorgeous I bet!

 

[dutchsilkie]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply! Really helpful.

I am ot planning on breeding pure silkies. I really want a diverse bunch of chickens, and since silkies are such good moms, and real gentle chickens, I thought I would start with silkies. I was hoping for one or no rooster. And then next spring I wanted to add some fertilised eggs from different breeds, and let the silkie hen(s) hatch them.

I'm really stuck between a rock and a hard place. I'm not sure what to do and my mind is driving me crazy what the best decision is. Which rooster to keep. Which chickens to add, how much and when. If I should change things now or wait.

I really underestimated how involved I would feel haha.

 

[newchickenmom02]

Hi! I am replying to this thread because I have the same question and am going crazy trying to find out what sex this silkie is and “it” is so hard to get a picture of the comb Someone PLEASE help! oh and also “it” is 2 days away from being 5 months old and NO crowing

 

[Yard Farmer]

Hi!
My three silkies are 4 months old. One is for sure a hen, and I'm quite sure one is a rooster. The third one I'm not sure about.

It's the most fiery and nosy one. It also loves to correct the other hen. They looked the same up until three months old, then it changed more to look like the rooster, although I still think it looks rounder and softer. The rooster also has a bigger comb and wattles.

I would really like to know if it's a hen or a rooster, because two roosters and one hen is not ideal (quite the opposite).

The silkie in question:

View attachment 3922000

The rooster (or so I think) for comparison. Behind the rooster is the hen, and to her right, near the water bottle, is the silkie I'm talking about.

View attachment 3922002

I have more photos if required.

And if it's a rooster, before which age would it be best to remove one of the roosters? How do you decide which one has to go? And do I add two new hens before of after?

Thank you for your reply and advice.

Male.

 

[Yard Farmer]

Hi! I am replying to this thread because I have the same question and am going crazy trying to find out what sex this silkie is and “it” is so hard to get a picture of the comb Someone PLEASE help! oh and also “it” is 2 days away from being 5 months old and NO crowing

I'm kind of thinking pullet.