Chook Me!

How do you tell the difference between male and female adult silky hens and roosters?

I bought 3 at an auction on Saturday and were told they were all males. I have yet to hear any of them crow and I have seen 2 of them try to breed. The only difference I can see in them is that 2 of them have deep red almost purple faces and 1 has a bright red face.

Public Comments

1. Silkies are pretty hard to sex at any stage of their life compared to other breeds, but as adults the differance can be more easily seen. http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Silkies/BRKSilkies.html here is a whole page of pictures of silkies, and sex is told typically per picture, so that may help you to see the difference. Hens tend to be a little smaller, and have a smaller comb and wattles. In fact their comb/wattles are hardly noticable. The females also seem to have more of a rounded appearance. The male is a little more upright. Hope this helps, and good luck with your new silkies. If you have any questions feel free to contact me via email, Jamie/Rhode Runner
2. Are they young? If they are young it is harder to tell. But if they are mature, you will notice that the males have more of a solid feather in their tails. It looks the feathers were stripped, rather than being all fluffy as in the hens. The males will get a large walnut comb, that have 2 very small points on the top of them. I raise silkies, and sometimes I cant find them. The males will also develop spurs. Also, the males will usually have longer pointed feathers coming off of their top knot (the fluffy crest) going in the direction if their neck. Overall, the males will have more solid feathers than the hen, which should have none. They will also be bigger in size. If they are breeding, then they are definitely males. But all of this (besides the breeding) depends on the quality of the silkies. Show quality silkies or birds that are pure silkie will have these qualities. If they are cross breeds, then their may be no telling until they grow up! Good luck!
3. u need check when day r baby's the males feathers r straight the females feathers a cricked