The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: mowhaugh on October 27, 2013, 02:24:42 pm
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I am sure this has been asked on here a millions times before, but here goes again.
I have two chicks, one a barnevelder and one a black silkie. I can't remember exactly when they were hatched (bought a new academic year calendar and stupidly forgot to transfer lots of useful stuff from the old one), but I think they are around 8 - 10 weeks old. They are the only ones of those breeds I have, as they were bought as hatching eggs, so I have nothing to compare them to.
Can anyone give me a clue as to how I would tell if they are male or female, please?
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I always look for wattles and the combs are redder in cockerels as a rule. If you push down on their backs, males object more and females often crouch. Hackle feathers are more pointy in males, but no idea about a silkie cross!
You might just have to wait and see...
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Very hard with just one of each. I've got Orps and have never been able to spot the pointy feathers but yes, comb and wattles are marginally more prominent. In comparison, cockerels are normally a bit bigger with thicker legs - but hard when you can't compare. I suspect patience will be required....
H
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When they crow they are cockerels. When they lay eggs they are hens. Nothing else is 100% reliable Mowhaugh.
Perhaps the fighters are males, perhaps the first wing feathers are females. But I've seen females fight and beat males. I've seen those with first flight feathers as males.
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When they crow they are cockerels. When they lay eggs they are hens. Nothing else is 100% reliable Mowhaugh.
;D That's the theory I was working on so I will just wait and see!