[frenchliving]

I have read some other posts on this subject, but Im off hopefully to buy some silkies chicks on Sunday and just what to get whats best to do 1st (forward thinking and planning)

I currently have 2 x hens 1 x cock and 1 x chick (think hen 6 weeks) these are in a very small coop and run (although they free range all day)

During the broody period we built a bigger run but didnt actually move any of the hens.

We are thinking to put the 3 or 4 new silkies 3 month old into the new run and coop - which is close to the existing small run so that they can see/smell the other birds and vice versa. Then letting them out after perhaps a week to free range. We use cushion boxes (the plastic outdoor type) for them to sleep in at night, so after they have free ranged seperately/together we plan to move the old hens cushion box into the bigger run. So they still have seperate areas to sleep??

What are your thoughts - is 4 newbies too many, these are really cheap £5 as opposed to the normal £20 hence why I would like to buy 4 now, hints on tips for telling cock v's hen silkies etc would also be appreciated.

Thanks

[joyfull]

Silkies are one of the hardest bird to sex. I wonder why the person is selling these so cheap (do they know that they may be all boys  ). Four newbies should be no problem but make sure that you keep them separate for a couple of weeks at least just in case they are incubating any illness.

[frenchliving]

Thanks Joyful, he has (the seller) said that he has hens and cockerals but I have been googling to try and find differences (some appear to have a comb) lets wait till Sunday!

[rileyfin]

Hi Frenchliving,
I only have silkies and have kept them, and hatched them for the last four years.
It is really difficult to sex silkies, some strains are really easy and you can tell at 4-5 weeks others you are still not sure at 14 weeks. You usually can tell at 10 weeks as the boys start crowing, also keep a close eye on the skin colour on the face boys start to turn from black to mulberry.
Also watch for the wallnut, just above the beak getting wider and rough in texture, also turning mulberry.
I love my silkies, I have some lovely miniature birds black and white. they are sooooo sweet 
Good luck and I hope you find this helpful 

[frenchliving]

Thanks Rileyfin. We did buy 4 (2 x white and 2 x black) on Sunday - check out post my new girlies!

He seemed an experience breeder, he had lots of birds of all types, (but no adult silkies that I could see!!) I did try to read up on sexing them before we went but most forums/reports said it was really difficult! he said on phone they were around 3 months old, but when we were picking small birds he was worried as they will grow, as they all wasnt the same age.

There faces and feet do look grey, and somebody said females have rounder tails. So keeping my fingers crossed we have hens! None off them are crowing yet!

BUT - the thing on there beaks looks red as if its been filed/cut off?? - this is the way he said he can tell a hen from a cockerel?

These 4 silkies are still seperate and I plan to do that for another week or so, the other hens have seen them but not much, but dont seem to be bothered! I am thinking when I do start letting them out just to do so around 6pm in the evening, so they dont have hours to be bullied!

he said they dont mature for another 6 months - so I may have a while to wait for the crowing!!