Backyard Poultry Info Centre

Good Evening

I had just taken my white silkie chook to a vet and it stayed over the weekend as it was sick (wet bottom and did not eat)

To my surprise! the vet told me that the chook is older than 7 months old as I was told by the breeder - I asked how old - he said few years!

does anyone know how can a person tell how old is a chook?

also - is it possible that a chook can have a tumour?! right leg seem to be bigger and the vet said that she may have tumour!

youra

Hi Youra

Yes there are those that can tell the age of a chook by looking at it - or at least whether its a pullet or a hen.

I'm not familiar with silkies so couldnt help you - but if you have a picture you could post - someone will be able to tell you for sure.

As for tumors, again, yes, boks get them. But I only found it more in the ISAs when we had them here (changed to the more hardier Australorps).

Did you have a quickie look in the medical area of this forum?

I moved this to OPT as it may get more answers and is probably better placed there.

Raf

the chook passed away - when I got home last night - it was on its side but then I found her dead this morning

Youra

Hi Youra, that's awful...

But to answer the age thing, it's not easy to tell age, but you could sometimes see a hen with spurs, which would indicate that she's a few years old. And as birds age the scales on the legs tend to lift and look rougher, so that can be another way of telling whether a bird is old or under a year. Also lack of laying tends to go with age as well (though some birds keep laying through old age, and other breeds don't lay well even from the beginning).

In short, there's no way to definitively tell a chook's age, but you could probably be fairly certain whether a bird is 7 months old or over a couple of years.

I'm sorry you lost your new pet.

Thank you candler, the scale on the legs and feet did look abit rough - she was not meant to be pet that is what is upsetting - she is from a champion line and I was hoping to start the breeding program from her - I was told that she is 7 months - she look very healthy and AS a champion line would look too

All good - I learn from the experience

Thanking you

Youra