sparkleeeeee Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 i have just been talking to the girls and iggle was pecking pinky and chasing her around. then i noticed how proud she was standing, its like overnight she has turned into a cockerel. there are some photos in my album. what do you think? she/he has the same colouring as piggle but has a huge comb and wattles and a bigger tail. i have had to rehome two silkies because they were cockerels already this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindy Loo Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Lovely photo's - what a handsome BOY he is! For what it's worth, he definitely looks like a bloke to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Definitely a boy I'm afraid - he's very handsome. (I'm a wee bit suspicious of piggle too - the hackle and saddle feathers are a bit pointy. Could she be a boy too but a little younger? ). How old are they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina C Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Very much a boy! And very beautiful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 sorry my vote is with the others, that tail and the pointy feathers look very boy like to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkleeeeee Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 they are 28 weeks and were the same age when i got them. the workmen have all decided we should have him for christmas dinner. the breeder did say she was sure they were both hens so i have never questioned their sex. what a shame. there were two norfolk grey cockerels in the adtrader last week near me probably from the same hatch. they are quite rare and not alot of people breed them. hubbie said we should breed them as they are rare and i do love them to bits but the neighbours will complain about the noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 What a shame - I was so disappointed when Sandy, my Buff Orp turned out to be a boy - I had been so sure he was a girl - his saddle feathers didn't change till about 25 weeks and he crowed at 28 weeks and had to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 (I'm a wee bit suspicious of piggle too - the hackle and saddle feathers are a bit pointy. ). me too the colouring is more male for a Norfolk Grey too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 I think you're right Bron, the girls are mostly black - piggle has quite a lot of white on the body and the feathering and legs are starting to look boyish. I've had boys from the same hatch that have developed at completely different rates. Sorry Sparkleee - worth keeping an eye on him/her too I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Sorry honey.... "she's" definately a bloke I would say! When "she" crows you'll know for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 I would say he's definatly a chap On the first picture on your gallery, you can see a spur coming through is right foot (I should so be a detective.) I'm sure he will find a good home, he is very handsome! xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovemychooks Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Yes, definately a boy i'm afraid. He looks beautiful though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Well it certainly explains the lack of eggs! Just need to wait for your legbars to change sex now Poor you - not having much luck with them at the moment are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockADoodleDoo Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 id love to see a silkie crossed with a Norfok Grey. you should try to keep him for as long as poss and mabye youl get some fertile eggs before he becomes too noisy. cant you get them devoiced? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Definitely both boys. They are gorgeous by the way. I think you can get them devoiced, but the brits don't tend to do it and it's more of an american thing to do. Personally I don't think it's very nice to do it, as then they don't get to do their natural behaviour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Yep agree with all the others, definitely MALE !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkleeeeee Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 oh snowy, the cream legbars are the only ones i am certain of as the cockerels are different colours from hatching. i have had a bad day today apart from the cockerel problem. i took my two toddlers to playbarn and my little boy was not well behaved and i left early as i couldnt stand it anymore and one of the mums shut my little girls fingers in a door . i couldnt reach her in time, harriet cried for ages and made the woman feel really bad. but as soon as i got my notepad and pen out of my bag in an attempt to shut her up she forgot all about her fingers. then i came home to discover hubbie has been re-arranging the larder and now its a mess and he has chucked things away i needed etc. i will call the breeder tomorrow as she did say i could return them if they were cockerels. i must admit looking at them now i dont know why i didnt see it before. they are beautiful boys though and i will miss them. luckily the breeder and i are both just outside the avian flu restriction zone. (i bet it gets moved tonight) my birds have been kept in and i dont have a quarantine zone so i am not sure if i will replace them yet. as hers are all free-range Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonie Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Aww bless them, must be hard when you get so attached very quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Definately a cockerel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rona Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Oh what a shame, but at least you know now why two of them aren't laying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkleeeeee Posted December 7, 2007 Author Share Posted December 7, 2007 didnt get around to calling the breeder yesterday and this morning when i was cleaning out the poop tray, iggle crowed really loudly three times in a row . All the others go really excited and started sparing with him and he looked rather shocked. it was a really nice crow and if we lived in a remote area i would keep them both but i have loads of neighbours and its not fair on them. i bet the old grumpy lady will be over soon to complain. anyway i had better call the breeder to see if she will have them back. thank you for your help you were all correct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina C Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 Such a shame you can't keep him. I have the same problem - I have got a boy who is finding his voice. Its so cute. We are hanging on to him as long as possible as he is so gorgeous! He will be going back to the barn where he came from soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 I've had a few that have crowed then had to get rid of them - I love the sound of crowing and really wish I could keep the boys. When big Sandy crowed all the chooks (and me!) just froze, and turned round and looked at him - he looked just as surprised . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkleeeeee Posted December 7, 2007 Author Share Posted December 7, 2007 i am now off with iggle and piggle back to the breeder to be swapped. its a bit of a sad day as they are so lovely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxanne Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 So sad for you It reminds me of when I have had to put a cat or dog to sleep at the end of their lives (and I've had to do that quite a few times in the last 30 years), you know you are doing to right thing but it still hurts and you do feel guilty, but in time you accept it was the right decision. Are you getting replacements? That might help you get over the sad feelings. I'll never forget one of my children crying over the death of a rabbit, wiping her tears and saying "can we go to the farm and get another one?"!! It was the best medicine!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
