Confused Silkie

[MysteryChicken]

I guess we’ll just have to watch where we walk when we go into the coop. Hopefully the rest of them will figure it out.

Stepping on an egg isn't fun, that's for sure. But the birds enjoy it as a snack afterwards.

 

[Fthersnfur4fun]

I've had a Buff Orpington like this. Her name was Drama Queen.

Our Silkies name is Zsa Zsa. She just is WAY too fancy for her own good .

 

[preciouschick]

I have 12 pullets that are right at laying age. One of them is a Silkie and the only one that is scared to death of us. She started laying almost 2 weeks ago. The only problem is she is laying either on the floor of the coop or on the poop board. We have 5 nest boxes with a fake egg in each one but she’s not laying in any of them. What else can we do to get her in the right place? I’m hoping maybe once the others start laying they’ll use the boxes and she’ll follow suit.

I posted the same question. my silkies lay where ever they please. They lay in the middle of the coop and run. My nesting boxes are ground level. They occasionally lay in the boxes. It doesnt bother me as my coop and run are predator proof. My older hen, when shes broody, will move all the eggs that are in the coop to her nesting box.

 

[Fthersnfur4fun]

I posted the same question. my silkies lay where ever they please. They lay in the middle of the coop and run. My nesting boxes are ground level. They occasionally lay in the boxes. It doesnt bother me as my coop and run are predator proof. My older hen, when shes broody, will move all the eggs that are in the coop to her nesting box.

Wow! How does she manage to move them without breaking them?
Zsa Zsa also has now gone broody. She won’t go out with the rest of the flock to graze unless my husband picks her up and carries her out there. At least now she doesn’t run from us! When I went out there yesterday to clean the poop board I squatted down and petted her. She just laid there and made an occasional noise in protest.

 

[preciouschick]

Wow! How does she manage to move them without breaking them?
Zsa Zsa also has now gone broody. She won’t go out with the rest of the flock to graze unless my husband picks her up and carries her out there. At least now she doesn’t run from us! When I went out there yesterday to clean the poop board I squatted down and petted her. She just laid there and made an occasional noise in protest.

I have never seen her move them but others have laid an egg in the box next to her, then i would go out and she would have all the other eggs under her. I am assuming she would roll them. i would love to catch her moving them over. maybe a camera at some point.

 

[Fthersnfur4fun]

I have never seen her move them but others have laid an egg in the box next to her, then i would go out and she would have all the other eggs under her. I am assuming she would roll them. i would love to catch her moving them over. maybe a camera at some point.

I’ve been thinking about a camera as well so I can see who’s laying what eggs but we don’t have worthy internet. A coworker mentioned maybe a trail camera?? I haven’t really investigated that option yet.

 

[preciouschick]

I’ve been thinking about a camera as well so I can see who’s laying what eggs but we don’t have worthy internet. A coworker mentioned maybe a trail camera?? I haven’t really investigated that option yet.

trail camera sounds like a good idea. i didn't think of that. I will wait until she is broody again.

 

[preciouschick]

I have 12 pullets that are right at laying age. One of them is a Silkie and the only one that is scared to death of us. She started laying almost 2 weeks ago. The only problem is she is laying either on the floor of the coop or on the poop board. We have 5 nest boxes with a fake egg in each one but she’s not laying in any of them. What else can we do to get her in the right place? I’m hoping maybe once the others start laying they’ll use the boxes and she’ll follow suit.

my silkie nesting boxes are ground level in the coop. 1 silky used the box. 1 is using the floor of the coop right now. i tried to move her into a box but she just rolled the eggs right back out. The other I did move into a box and she stayed there. They sit on eggs where they want.
I have 7 total and only 2 roost at night, the others sleep on the ground.

 

[Fthersnfur4fun]

my silkie nesting boxes are ground level in the coop. 1 silky used the box. 1 is using the floor of the coop right now. i tried to move her into a box but she just rolled the eggs right back out. The other I did move into a box and she stayed there. They sit on eggs where they want.
I have 7 total and only 2 roost at night, the others sleep on the ground.

Surprisingly she’s not broody now and has started going out with the flock all day and roosting with them at night. However she hasn’t laid any eggs for about 3 or 4 weeks. Hopefully she’ll start up again now that she’s back to normal behavior .