Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Sluggs on February 15, 2010, 16:55

Title: Silkies
Post by: Sluggs on February 15, 2010, 16:55

Can I ask, ive silkies that seem to be boys one has a comb others have a lumps on there head.
are these different breeds of silkies, why does one have a comb and the others dont.
they are all happy singing in the morning so i no there cockerels.
Please assist me !!!!!   :wacko:

Title: Re: Silkies
Post by: Chookiechook on February 15, 2010, 21:27

If its any help I have (not your ones though) a hen with a comb and also with the walnut comb.... the proper comb one is a hen, the walnut is a cock!! 

Not sure if it helps though :)

Title: Re: Silkies
Post by: IMOmimey on February 15, 2010, 21:45

a pure bred silkie has a 'walnut' comb...it should be a sort of dark purple ugly looking lump, that I have heard described as "looks like a brain". On the cockerels, this is very large, and on the hens there should be just a hint of where it would grow.
Sexing silkies is reall hard because this comb grows the same in both sexes,  but then it stops growing at around 14-16 weeks in the hen, but the cockerels continue to grow. All silkies should have black skin (even white one!), 5 toes on each foot, and turquoise blue ear lobes.

Does that help?