I have 8 Rhode Island Red Hens, 8 EE Hens, 6 Silkie Hens, and 3 Silkie Roosters. The silkies haven't started to lay yet, but I'm getting 8-10 eggs a day from the RIR's and EE's. I did check the eggs and they seem to be fertile. Here's the question. Would they incubate and hatch??? what would the chickens look like from a RIR or EE with a silkie rooster??? I'm new to chickens. The silkies were straight run and I ended up with 3 roosters out of 9 bought. Do I need to get rid of two of the roosters and just keep one (1/23 ratio) or keep all three. Do I need to get a RIR or EE rooster??? My wife told me that she didn't want roosters when I ordered the chickens, but has now fallen in love with the silkie roosters. That's why I didn't order a rooster in the RIR or EE. I had no choice, but to order straight run in the silkies. Chris
Quote:You could incubate and they probably would hatch, most recommend not incubating pullet eggs, or to at least let them get regulated to giving a consistent egg a day. No you do not need to get rid of any roosters. 1/7 is not a bad ratio. Just watch for the roos wearing out the hens backs, if it gets bad then I would consider getting rid of a roo. Edited to add: not necessarily an egg a day, but a good egg on days that you get one, with some breeds if you wait for an egg a day you will never get to incubate.
only 3 roosters from a strait run isnt bad, I would keep them for now , they can breed fine with big birds though sometimes there fuff is said to get in the way , there will be an bullseye on the yolk if youre eggs are fertel , YOu only need to get a rooster for youre other birds if you want to , if you want pure birds youll have to get one rooster at least for the ee and the RIR then somehow keep them seperate. I think silkie cross EE would be adorble and RIR woudnt be bad ether . I dont know alot about chickens Im shure soemone else will know more. Roosters especally raised together should be fine , they seem from what I have heard to have a pecking order just liek the girls and do fine together but keep and eyeball peeled just in case.
I don't plan to hatch any in the near future, but would like the option. I spoke with a lady I work with and she said that when she was younger her dad had a Silkie rooster and Buff Orrington hens. She said they hatched some of the eggs and the chickens were pretty cool! Guess I'll try it one of these days. All the eggs I have cracked and cooked so far have had the bulls eye. Got 11 yesterday from 16 hens. 7 brown eggs and 4 green. The Silkies haven't started to lay yet. Anybody got any pictures of silkie eggs???? I'm curious to see how big they will be compared to the standards. Chris
