Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[rnchick74]

What is the size difference with silkie eggs! And how often do the Meyers silkies lay?

Silkies lay small eggs in general. I don't think that Meyer's silkies lay any more or less than any other silkies - they aren't great egg producers. You will get 1, maybe 2 eggs per week on average. But silkies are adorable and oh, so much fun!

 

[jonsccm]

Silkies lay small eggs in general. I don't think that Meyer's silkies lay any more or less than any other silkies - they aren't great egg producers. You will get 1, maybe 2 eggs per week on average. But silkies are adorable and oh, so much fun!

The reason I ask is I thought I was getting a small white/tinted egg about 4-5 days of the week I thought it was one of my Cochins but after getting to many eggs I checked and my white silkie definitely looks like she has been laying. Also she is bearded and it seems all the others I got from Meyer have not had beards...? The egg in question are about 2/3 the size of a large egg.

 

[The Howards]

Ok, once again it is a duck and not a chicken but our Meyer Cayuga Duck just laid her first egg! Definitely easy to tell cause of it's color (blackish one on the left).

On the chicken front all of the girls are now in the yard with the rest of the flock and there has been no problems, thank God! Everyone is getting along fine. They still sleep in a pile in a corner but a few of the bigger ones like Lunkhead are starting to try and get on the perches at night. They have started to enjoy their treats of salad mix and compete with the ducks to try and snatch up the cucumber first.

 

[The Howards]

The reason I ask is I thought I was getting a small white/tinted egg about 4-5 days of the week I thought it was one of my Cochins but after getting to many eggs I checked and my white silkie definitely looks like she has been laying. Also she is bearded and it seems all the others I got from Meyer have not had beards...? The egg in question are about 2/3 the size of a large egg.

Do you have any other bantams that could be laying the eggs? Our silkie seems to get into laying "fits". She can go a month it seems without laying and then will lay everyday for a week+. But immediately tries to go broody when she thinks she has laid enough, even though I take all of them. Within a day or so she gets the idea that she has no eggs and ventures out again. Our polish and cochin hens lay small eggs like the silkie as well.
I am by far not a silkie expert but I have heard of silkies being bearded and non-bearded. When we got our silkie I was reading about the breed and doing some research. I do remember reading that there were bearded and non-bearded silkies.

 

[jonsccm]

Do you have any other bantams that could be laying the eggs? Our silkie seems to get into laying "fits". She can go a month it seems without laying and then will lay everyday for a week+. But immediately tries to go broody when she thinks she has laid enough, even though I take all of them. Within a day or so she gets the idea that she has no eggs and ventures out again. Our polish and cochin hens lay small eggs like the silkie as well.

I am by far not a silkie expert but I have heard of silkies being bearded and non-bearded. When we got our silkie I was reading about the breed and doing some research. I do remember reading that there were bearded and non-bearded silkies. 

She is the only bantam I have that is laying age right now. And this has been going on almost three weeks. I need to try to catch her in the act. My Cochins are the full size variety It could be the cotchin still but she does not sem to be laying yet. And the silkie does. I need a video camera in my coop!

 

[MamaShell]

She is the only bantam I have that is laying age right now. And this has been going on almost three weeks. I need to try to catch her in the act. My Cochins are the full size variety It could be the cotchin still but she does not sem to be laying yet. And the silkie does. I need a video camera in my coop!

I was on vacation for about 5 days a few weeks ago and I just got caught up with all the posts. A lot has happened! Congrats to all with new chicks and my condolences to all that lost some. From your posts, you have all taken the changes in stride!

I need a video camera in my coop, too! I have been trying to keep track of who is laying what and am finding it so difficult! I have 23 chickens and am averaging about 18-19 eggs a day but cannot figure out who is laying every day and if all have started. Some of the eggs are still pretty tiny but we are getting there! They range from 34 grams to 65. Three of the four Golden Buffs, which were the first to lay, are always the top 3 in size, all extra large, and all every day. The 2 EEs lay large green eggs 6-7 days a week. I can identify a few Australorp and Orpington eggs but the rest kind of blend together as they are all roughly the same color and size - small and light brown. Since I intend to get all different breeds next year and no duplicates from this flock, I guess it doesn't really matter. I just really would like to know which are turning out to be our best layers for much further in the future reference.

 

[mimischicksnat]

Nap time...

 

[autumnhearth]

Such a crazy amazing morning/afternoon here. After I walked my son to the bus stop, I let this girls out for their supervised morning "free ranging". It was sprinkling lightly but the girls didn't mind. Our cat always watches from the screened in back porch and I heard him meowing, but he was facing the driveway, so I peered around and saw the stray white and grey cat that has been haunting ours and our neighbors' yards for around a year staring up at him. Its favorite spot this past winter was our old garden where the chicken run is now. S/he always runs away from me and did so when s/he caught sight of me. So after a little over an hour of free-ranging I went to grab the bag of treats to lead the girls back into the run. When I came back to the gate where they like to greet me, I heard a meow from the back up the yard and there sitting next to the coop is the stray, this cat has never meowed at me before. I froze for a second thinking of what to do. I ended up setting down the treats by the girls and went toward the cat to chase it off. It retreated a bit into the bushes but didn't run out of our yard like it normal does. Most of the girls followed me anyway then walked into the run by themselves, except Victoria who wandered behind the coop near me and the cat. I scooped her up and locked the girls in. Then went back to the cat, which to my surprise was still there meowing big eyed at me. So I called it over and it came and let me pet it. I was debating about taking it to the shelter. I had never called animal control on it because it always ran so fast I figured they wouldn't be able to catch it anyway. The cat let me pick it up but after a few steps it flattened its ears and I set it down and it bounded over our low fence. Trust lost, oh well.

Fast forward to lunch time, I'm in the kitchen looking out the window and notice Victoria and Baby are on the ramp to the coop, Morgaine and Clara are in the run but I don't see Amelia. I get excited suspecting she's checking out the nest boxes in the coop. The girls are 21 week and I have been waiting for Amelia's first egg for a month now (she's our Golden Buff), guessing everyone else would lay later. So I go out there and indeed she is in the coop and one of the nest's shaving have been kicked out. Then in comes Clara the Easter Egger and she climbs in the corner box, turns around a couple times and climbs out and goes to the other corner and back again, a couple of the other girls have wandered in to see what's up. I decide to give her her privacy and sit out in the run with the others. They all gather around me and Morgaine is scratching and pecking at my jeans while Clara keeps going in and out of the coop. Then Clara comes out and hops onto my lap and burrows herself between my crossed legs.

Okay... Clara is by far our most skittish girl, she doesn't like being petted or picked up, though yesterday she hopped on my back a few times when I was laying on the lawn. So I'm thinking oh my goodness is she going to lay her egg in my lap? What is up with today and animals trusting me all of a sudden? At the same time I hear the cat meowing in the bushes. And I'm thinking "what does it mean?" lol! So Clara keeps going back and forth between the coop and my lap. I hear the murmurings of the quietest little egg song in the coop, but each time she comes back to my lap and tries to bury herself its clear she hasn't done the deed. I'm covering her with my shirt to give her privacy as all the girls are gathered round and I'm having to fend Baby Buff off so she doesn't peck Clara because she's super jealous she's in my lap and is scolding her. Next time she goes in the coop, I go in and sit down in there and Clara comes to my lap again, I make the space between my legs wider and she starts kicking up sand which after awhile gets dusty. She nudges her head under one of my knees which I lift up for her and she stays like that for along time while I stroke her back but is soon getting frustrated again. This is when I decide that she's not just practicing and may be egg bound.

So I carry her inside and she is just so calm. I lay a towel in our bathroom sink and run some warm water to soak her bottom in so she can hopefully relax. She's now a fan, so I get the gloves and KY Jelly out for the second time in a week (Amelia was prolapsing on Friday). I wasn't really sure what I was feeling but it definitely felt different than Amelia. After getting some poop out I felt something hard and smooth. After a little bit she started straining and pushing so hard I though she was going to prolapse or have a heart attack. Then she stopped and I look down and there on the towel is the most perfect little bluish green egg! I congratulated her teary eyed with relief and let her soak in the sink again which she appreciated much more this time. After a blow dry and fluff I took her back out with her sisters. She didn't want to be carried this time and flapped up onto my head, then slid down to the back of my neck and road out like that. When we got into the run, she didn't want to get off and stayed on me for a few minutes then hopped into the coop to preen. So yeah, crazy! So glad she trusted me to be her midwife though. Here's hoping her next egg comes out a lot smoother! I'm tired of sticking my finger up chicken butts, lol.


First egg unwashed, looking more blue here


Wet and in the light of the window it looks more green


Clara soaking her poor vent but looking proud


Washed, our wall behind is sage green


My son Rowan was so excited when I showed him the egg when he got off the bus. Clara is his chicken and he says the color is beautiful!


Last shot on display. Once my husband comes home and sees it I will blow out the inside and scrambled it for Rowan to eat then clean and keep the shell.

 

[rnchick74]

The reason I ask is I thought I was getting a small white/tinted egg about 4-5 days of the week I thought it was one of my Cochins but after getting to many eggs I checked and my white silkie definitely looks like she has been laying. Also she is bearded and it seems all the others I got from Meyer have not had beards...? The egg in question are about 2/3 the size of a large egg.

Maybe the Cochin and Silkie are taking turns? Their eggs can be of similar size, though you generally think of Silkie eggs as being on the smaller size with Cochin eggs being small/medium. Meyer's silkies can be bearded, but some have been known to be non-bearded.

How old are your birds. Silkies take a LONG TIME to mature while Cochins don't normally take anywhere as long.

 

[rnchick74]

My son Rowan was so excited when I showed him the egg when he got off the bus. Clara is his chicken and he says the color is beautiful!

Beautiful egg! Your son has every reason to be excited!!! CONGRATS!!