Silkie not laying yet

[StephanieRose44]

I have a Silkie girl who is about to be 21 weeks and she still hasn’t laid an egg yet. I have younger hens that already started, so she is on the layer feed also supply oyster shells and egg shells for her too. Is this just normal for her breed? As I’ve heard some breeds like my Bantam GLW wont lay for a few more weeks just because of her breed.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Some individuals will take a VERY long time to start laying 30+... it is light dependent for one thing. But lines vary... 21 weeks would be very young for most Silkies in my experience... after raising and breeding them for a few years.

Also... the lower protein content and higher calcium before lay could delay the onset. Just be patient.

Are you sure it's female?

 

[StephanieRose44]

Some individuals will take a VERY long time to start laying 30+... it is light dependent for one thing. But lines vary... 21 weeks would be very young for most Silkies in my experience... after raising and breeding them for a few years.

Also... the lower protein content and higher calcium before lay could delay the onset. Just be patient.

Are you sure it's female?

Oh yes I gave one Male and one female

 

[StephanieRose44]

Hers Chippie the rooster

 

[Horsetime]

Uhhh my silkies were born last August and still aren't laying. They don't lay well to begin with, and it's still cold out. While my standard girls of the same age STARTED laying in January and have been laying consistently the silkies have not. They just now act ready to lay. It's a good thing they are cute.

 

[StephanieRose44]

Uhhh my silkies were born last August and still aren't laying. They don't lay well to begin with, and it's still cold out. While my standard girls of the same age STARTED laying in January and have been laying consistently the silkies have not. They just now act ready to lay. It's a good thing they are cute.

By “act” ready to lay what do you mean? Are they walking around making that noise that they make? Or something else? Because mine just started with whining noise and all my other chickens (even though they are different breeds) once they start doing that walking around impatiently making that sound(nails on a chalk board) lol that’s when I knew they would lay soon and than within the next day or so the egg would come.

 

[Horsetime]

Do they squat down when you get near them or try to pet them? The squatting behavior means they are ready to lay or are laying and are ready for a roo to do his job.

 

[StephanieRose44]

She doesn’t do the squat thing really the only thing she has been doing is “the escort call” which I learned that whiny quack/honking noise they make when they have to lay an egg. What do you mean she’s ready for a Roo to do his job? Is the escort what you mean or do you mean she needs to be mates with?

 

[Matilda Belle]

I have a Silkie born last April that hasn’t laid yet.