My silkies won't move

[no-dice]

Hi, I've got 2 silkies, patty and Selma, both have been laying eggs fine, I've been taking the eggs from them as I find them.

About 3 weeks ago now they stopped laying and they started to refuse to leave the coop, so I started taking them out in the morning and locking them out, just so they would eat.

They just sit by the coop all day, even if it's raining, they won't seek the shelter they have, they just sit by the door.

I literally have to pick them up and remind them to eat and drink and move lol. Once I've woken them up, they seem absolutely fine, then after say 20 mins they go back to sitting by the door.

Any tips?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

When they were hanging around in the coop were they in the nest box? As they are silkies my first thought would be that they are broody. Silkies are notorious for going broody.
Do they have any symptoms of illness?

 

[no-dice]

Hi, I'm guessing they are broody too, these are my first chicks, they're great! My 2 year old daughter loves them.

No signs of illness, once I've got them moving, they will eat and drink fine and be themselves, but 20-30 mins later they just sit at the coop door.

They have lost a bit of weight, they also keep doing this continuous quiet cluck noise, somthing they never done before.

Should I get some fertilised eggs? We thought about having some more anyway

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

If you believe they are broody you can either give them some fertile eggs or break them from this behaivour. How long now have they been like this? 3 weeks?
If so and they have lost weight already getting them to sit for another 3 weeks may not be so good for them but they are your birds and only you can make that choice. Here are some good articles on broodiness and breaking broody hens that I'm sure you will find helpful ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-and-raising-chicks

 

[no-dice]

Yeah coming on for 3 weeks now, they are eating fine, once I remind them to do so

I'm up at 6 to let them out for breakfast, the mrs motivates them at lunch, then when I'm home in the evening, I get them moving again,

It is Getting cold now, so don't wanna keep them outside if they really don't want to be.

Tricky choice.

Many thanks for the links though