{"id":8010,"date":"2022-11-08T03:48:53","date_gmt":"2022-11-08T03:48:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/?p=8010"},"modified":"2023-04-14T03:09:12","modified_gmt":"2023-04-14T03:09:12","slug":"are-silkie-roosters-aggressive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/are-silkie-roosters-aggressive\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Silkie Roosters Aggressive? (+ Temperament &#038; Behaviors)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The small, fluffy, Silkie chicken has to be one of the least intimidating chicken breeds out there.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But in the animal world, small doesn\u2019t necessarily mean harmless, right?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, in the world of chickens, it\u2019s well-known that roosters are naturally more aggressive than hens.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But really, are Silkie roosters aggressive?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From my experience as a Silkie owner, as well as the general consensus of those that own Silkies, here\u2019s everything you need to know.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_27 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"display: none;\"><label for=\"item\" aria-label=\"Table of Content\"><i class=\"ez-toc-glyphicon ez-toc-icon-toggle\"><\/i><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/are-silkie-roosters-aggressive\/#Are_Silkie_Roosters_Aggressive\" title=\"Are Silkie Roosters Aggressive?\">Are Silkie Roosters Aggressive?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/are-silkie-roosters-aggressive\/#Temperament_Of_A_Silkie_Rooster\" title=\"Temperament Of A Silkie Rooster\">Temperament Of A Silkie Rooster<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/are-silkie-roosters-aggressive\/#Characteristics_Of_A_Silkie_Rooster\" title=\"Characteristics Of A Silkie Rooster\">Characteristics Of A Silkie Rooster<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/are-silkie-roosters-aggressive\/#Height_And_Weight\" title=\"Height And Weight\">Height And Weight<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/are-silkie-roosters-aggressive\/#Combs_Wattles_Streamers\" title=\"Combs, Wattles, &amp; Streamers\">Combs, Wattles, &amp; Streamers<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/are-silkie-roosters-aggressive\/#How_Else_Are_They_Different_From_Other_Roosters\" title=\"How Else Are They Different From Other Roosters?\">How Else Are They Different From Other Roosters?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/are-silkie-roosters-aggressive\/#When_Do_Silkie_Roosters_Start_Crowing\" title=\"When Do Silkie Roosters Start Crowing\">When Do Silkie Roosters Start Crowing<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/are-silkie-roosters-aggressive\/#How_To_Deal_With_An_Aggressive_Silkie_Rooster\" title=\"How To Deal With An Aggressive Silkie Rooster\">How To Deal With An Aggressive Silkie Rooster<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_Silkie_Roosters_Aggressive\"><\/span><strong>Are Silkie Roosters Aggressive?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8012\" src=\"http:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Silkie-Rooster-Standing-Tall.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Silkie-Rooster-Standing-Tall.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Silkie-Rooster-Standing-Tall-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Silkie-Rooster-Standing-Tall-768x461.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just to preface, it\u2019s literally in a<\/span><b> rooster&#8217;s <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(<\/span><b>male chicken<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) instinct and nature to be protective of its flock and the <\/span><b>hens (female chickens<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) in it. For this reason, Silkie roosters will almost always be more aggressive than Silkie hens.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, whether you\u2019re thinking about raising Silkies, or you\u2019ve just found out you\u2019ve got a Silkie rooster in your flock, don\u2019t worry!&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Compared to most other chicken breeds, Silkie roosters are one of the most docile, friendly, and harmless roosters you\u2019ll find.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, individual personality and environmental conditions can play a part in how aggressive any given chicken will be. But, in general, <strong>Silkie roosters are not considered aggressive.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Temperament_Of_A_Silkie_Rooster\"><\/span><strong>Temperament Of A Silkie Rooster<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, if they aren\u2019t necessarily aggressive, what\u2019s the best way to describe the temperament of a Silkie rooster?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Well, <strong>they\u2019ve got just as much curiosity and personality and Silkie hens, but Silkie roosters are more confident in themselves.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Silkie roosters are more likely to approach their owners, follow them around, and don\u2019t get as skittish when humans are around.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Compared to other male chickens, Silkie roosters are far less hostile towards other animals and humans.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still, although Silkie roosters are a lot smaller than most other chicken breeds, they are still great flock leaders and can be just as<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/are-chickens-territorial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b> territorial<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They\u2019ll assume the position of top chicken in the pecking order if there aren\u2019t any larger roosters in your flock!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Believe me, <\/span>if your area permits it<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you won\u2019t regret raising one!<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Characteristics_Of_A_Silkie_Rooster\"><\/span><strong>Characteristics Of A Silkie Rooster<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8013\" src=\"http:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Young-Silkie-Rooster.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Young-Silkie-Rooster.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Young-Silkie-Rooster-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Young-Silkie-Rooster-768x461.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Silkie roosters appear much like Silkie hens. Due to a lack of specific feathers called <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/people.eku.edu\/ritchisong\/feathers.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>barbicels<\/b><\/a><b>, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which usually hold all the feathers together nicely, they appear fluffy and feel much softer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But, <strong>Silkie roosters do have some physical differences from Silkie hens and they certainly appear different than most roosters from other chicken breeds.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Height_And_Weight\"><\/span><strong>Height And Weight<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a bantam breed, Silkies are much smaller than other chickens.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Silkie roosters really only grow up to about 14 inches tall.<\/strong> But, they make the most of it by often standing up straight.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A mature Silkie rooster will end up weighing about<strong> 4-5 pounds at the most.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So it\u2019s clear that Silkie roosters are much, much smaller than other breeds of roosters.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Combs_Wattles_Streamers\"><\/span><strong>Combs, Wattles, &amp; Streamers<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Much like other chicken breeds, Silkie roosters will grow out large combs and wattles. Much larger than hens, and much earlier in their development, from as young as 8-12 weeks old.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One other feature that\u2019s quite unique to traditional Silkie roosters is the appearance of a <a href=\"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/silkie-hen-vs-rooster\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>few streamer feathers appearing at the rear of their crown<\/strong> <\/a>feathers atop their head.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These \u201cstreamers\u201d are long, thin feathers that stream from the back of their heads. Traditional Silkie hens won\u2019t display these types of feathers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Else_Are_They_Different_From_Other_Roosters\"><\/span><strong>How Else Are They Different From Other Roosters?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other than their beautiful fluffy appearance and their smaller size, Silkie roosters also have some other rather unique or differentiating characteristics:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">if you look closely, you\u2019ll see that <\/span><b>Silkies\u2019 skin is black<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It\u2019s a rather unique and fabulous change from the standard yellow chicken skin.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where most chicken breeds have four toes, <strong>Silkies have five toes,<\/strong> or sometimes even more!<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Silkie chickens are also one of the few breeds that naturally grow feathers on their feet! <a href=\"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/black-chicken-with-feathers-on-feet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Feathery feet are a well-sought-after quality<\/b><\/a> to many chicken owners.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">The color of Silkie roosters\u2019 <strong>earlobes can range from light blue to a beautiful turquoise shade.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_Do_Silkie_Roosters_Start_Crowing\"><\/span><strong>When Do Silkie Roosters Start Crowing<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most breeds of roosters will start crowing regularly after they reach maturity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, different roosters regardless of their breed can begin crowing at all different ages. It can all depend on their environment, whether there are other roosters in their flock, and even just individual development differences.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In saying that, most <\/span><b>Silkie roosters tend to start crowing from as young as 16-24 weeks.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still, there are those Silkie roosters that can take much, much longer. We\u2019re talking 6 &#8211; 12 months old.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/quietest-roosters-to-raise\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Silkie roosters crow is quite noticeably quieter<\/strong><\/a> than larger breeds too, which is always a bonus.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_To_Deal_With_An_Aggressive_Silkie_Rooster\"><\/span><strong>How To Deal With An Aggressive Silkie Rooster<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most Silkie roosters are incredibly docile, by rooster standards anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But, there are those cases where you\u2019ve pulled the short straw and are now stuck with a Silkie rooster that\u2019s just a bit more aggressive than you\u2019d hoped.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maybe it\u2019s rough with your hens, maybe it constantly picks on one of your pets.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No matter what the case is i<strong>f you\u2019ve got an aggressive Silkie rooster you can:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Use Treats To Tame Your Rooster:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If your rooster is specifically aggressive to you or other members of your household, then it\u2019s effective to have that person start feeding your rooster treats. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over time your rooster will associate this person with treats and will be less likely to consider them a treat.<\/span><\/span>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Separate It From Its Victims:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If your rooster is specifically aggressive toward another chicken or other pets then it\u2019s best to separate the victim from your rooster.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is not only a preventative measure for further aggression, but <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/do-chickens-hold-grudges\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>over time negative associations will ease.<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Silkie roosters stand out from other breeds in a number of ways. From their extraordinary fluffy appearance to their furry feat and extra toes.<\/p>\n<p>But, one thing is for sure: <strong>Silkie roosters are simply not aggressive.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>They are just as amazing, timid, and friendly as Silkie hens, just with a bit more confidence!<\/p>\n<p>Silkie roosters will still crow. Plus they tend to end up at the high end of the pecking order.<\/p>\n<p>But really they are beautiful, loving backyard companions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8011,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8010"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8010"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8010\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8503,"href":"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8010\/revisions\/8503"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8011"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8010"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8010"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardfarmlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8010"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}