How poor of layers are Silkies?

[KaylorFarms]

I ordered four chicks straight run (with one free chick of a different breed) and all four silkies turned out to be hens. I still wasn't sure on one of them up to 8 months of age though, until I actually caught her laying. I could have sworn she was a rooster otherwise.

Okay, that makes me feel better about ordering straight runs, Thank you!

 

[danceswithronin]

Okay, that makes me feel better about ordering straight runs, Thank you!

The good thing about straight run silkies is that silkies are an extremely popular pet bird, so I don't think you'd have any problems rehoming cockerels even if you ended up with one or two. Even with a not-so-popular breed like White Plymouth Rocks, I was able to rehome my cockerel to another layer flock within a few days. (I did offer him for free though, and said I wouldn't mind if someone wanted to eat him.)

I was only supposed to get three hens originally so I ordered four silkies because they were straight run and I was afraid to end up with a roo. Then I ended up with four silkie hens. Now I have six other chicks and three more on order, lol. Can't beat chicken math!

 

[KaylorFarms]

The good thing about straight run silkies is that silkies are an extremely popular pet bird, so I don't think you'd have any problems rehoming cockerels even if you ended up with one or two. Even with a not-so-popular breed like White Plymouth Rocks, I was able to rehome my cockerel to another layer flock within a few days. (I did offer him for free though, and said I wouldn't mind if someone wanted to eat him.)

I was only supposed to get three hens originally so I ordered four silkies because they were straight run and I was afraid to end up with a roo. Then I ended up with four silkie hens. Now I have six other chicks and three more on order, lol. Can't beat chicken math!

Lol. I guess chicken math gets all of us! I think I'm going to order 15-20, So I'm really hoping I don't end up with more than a few cockerels

 

[danceswithronin]

Lol. I guess chicken math gets all of us! I think I'm going to order 15-20, So I'm really hoping I don't end up with more than a few cockerels

If you do, see if there are any local Facebook chicken groups for you to join, I've joined three or four of my local chicken hobbyist groups on Facebook and chickens move VERY quickly in those groups for sale or rehome, much quicker than Craigslist or putting them in the paper (and they are fellow hobbyists, so you can have more security in knowing that the people you're selling/giving your chickens to at least know a bit about them and how they should be cared for).

When I had to sell my trio of grown silkies they sold within five minutes of me putting them on a FB chicken group, and even after that I had a waiting list of ten people on standby in case the first guy didn't show up!

 

[KaylorFarms]

If you do, see if there are any local Facebook chicken groups for you to join, I've joined three or four of my local chicken hobbyist groups on Facebook and chickens move VERY quickly in those groups for sale or rehome, much quicker than Craigslist or putting them in the paper (and they are fellow hobbyists, so you can have more security in knowing that the people you're selling/giving your chickens to at least know a bit about them and how they should be cared for).

When I had to sell my trio of grown silkies they sold within five minutes of me putting them on a FB chicken group, and even after that I had a waiting list of ten people on standby in case the first guy didn't show up!

Okay, thanks for the info! I will post my poultry on there as well if I need to. Have you ever sold chicks on FB? If so, did you have any luck?

 

[danceswithronin]

Okay, thanks for the info! I will post my poultry on there as well if I need to. Have you ever sold chicks on FB? If so, did you have any luck?

Not yet, but once I have some broody hens I plan on hatching out some rare breed chicks for sale that I haven't otherwise seen available locally.