4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[thebdj]

I got 3 white silkie females at 11 weeks of age. They are now about 30 weeks old. I'm fairly convinced one of them is a cockerel and have been for some weeks. In fact I'm surprised I didn't notice it earlier.

 

He's bigger than the other two, has wattles and a big black prune thing (silkie comb) developing. Anyway that's less of an issue so here's my question ...

 

He appears to be attempting to crow every now and then but nothing comes out of his mouth. There's no noise at all. In fact the only time I have heard him make any noise was when I picked him up (he didn't like that) and his instinct appeared to be a crow! So when should I expect to hear him crowing and when do silkies mature as all 3 of them still seem, well young to put no finer point on it.

 

On the subject of cockerels, I am lucky enough to live with one neighbour where we have no other neighbours within half a mile and they are more than happy to have cockerel noise going on!

[Redwing]

Silkies can be very late to mature but it wont be long before he is crowing

 

They make party blower noises first - very amusing

[thebdj]

Party Blower? What seriously like those things that coil up and then spit out? I can't wait

[Redwing]

Those are the ones, its hilarious

[laurmurf]

you've done fantastically well to get to 30 weeks without a noise! Our beloved araucana cockerel, Basil, has to be put to bed in a cat box in the garage every night to shut him up. He's been sounding off since 6 weeks old

 

Lucky you to be able to keep your cockerel!

[ChrisEllis]

you've done fantastically well to get to 30 weeks without a noise! Our beloved araucana cockerel, Basil, has to be put to bed in a cat box in the garage every night to shut him up. He's been sounding off since 6 weeks old

 

Lucky you to be able to keep your cockerel!

 

The lengths we go to for the chickens...mine are only 1 week old but yet altogether they have costed us about 300 pounds...but will be worth it...incubating mean they are tame...

Also im gllad that silkies arent the loudest and dont crow for a while, would prefer not to have to give them away or garage them lol

[craftyhunnypie]

My Scooter - golden silkie is a cockerel. He is 16 weeks & has very obvious prune comb & wattles, he is also much bigger than little white Basehunter (girl). I can't wait for him to crow - cute! We want a couple more silkie ladies for him though.

Emma.x

[mad house]

Good luck! our silki was so noisy he had to go!!

 

4 30 i the morning start, the most crows we counted before we gave up and went back to sleep were 34!!

[thebdj]

And today it happened.

 

After numerous weeks of nothing and several days of open mouth and nothing coming out, this morning the little fella (now proving conclusively his gender) crowed so loud, 5 times in a row, he nearly blew the windows out.

 

I was extremely happy with this

[Solopuff]

We have three 21 week old gold bearded silkies and I just cannot work out if 2 of them are boys or girls even now. (One is definately a girl and a fourth was definately a boy and has been rehomed) Going by your experience it seems that I might have to wait until they're 30 weeks or more to be sure

[thebdj]

I have done a fair amount of reading on silkies and on sexing them specifically and it would appear that even the recognised experts struggle. My boy is now about 31 or 32 weeks and if I'd have been looking a bit more conscioussly I reckon I could have noticed at around 20 weeks but even then I am not 100% sure.

 

What is really difficult is one of my other silkies. She is about 10 months and has what looks like a tiny male comb. She also will stand up for herself and actually is quite happy declaring 'mock fights' with the others. Despite this, she lays eggs and lots of them

 

So in summary, and given that I have 2 silkies that are currently just under 4 weeks old, my decision is to wait until the crow or the first egg to be conclusively sure

[Griffin]

I think some are easier than others to sex, I guess maybe some strains are easier. I knew from four weeks my blue Silkie is a boy. He's about 12 weeks now and still a boy in my eyes I've got two Silkies that are about eight weeks and I haven't a clue what either of them are

[thebdj]

I keep calling them all 'My Girls' though. I think that is more from hope than genuine belief as to their gender Also because they are little and fluffy and innocent, just like all girls are .....