Silkie started laying really early!

[MamaNoccy]

My 4 month old silkie Willow popped out her first little fairy egg this morning after much carrying on today and yesterday. Has anyone else experienced such early laying in silkies before? Should I expect her to keep laying or do you think she'll stop until she's a bit older?

 

[aart]

Congrats.... and Welcome to BYC!

Is she 16 weeks or closer to 20 weeks?
Not sure about silkies, but not unusual for other breeds to start laying that early.

Was there a yolk in there?
All pullets lay small eggs at first, can take days, weeks, or months for them to get as large as their 'normal'.

Fairy, fart, wind, rooster eggs are usually from a tiny piece of tissue breaking loose from the reproductive tract, or an immature ova(yolk) and the body forms an egg around it. Color can be darker than 'normal' as the pigment coating released has to cover a much smaller area so is thicker. Can happen with any age layer, but more common with new or older layers.

I think it's explained in this excellent video, which is worth watching regardless:

 

[Fur-N-Fowl]

I also have had silkies begin laying as they just turn 4 months! The more common age is 6 months ish but of course it does just vary depending on the individual.

Mine continue to lay. Usually when they first begin they may lay one, miss a day then lay another since things are just starting up. However, that happens with any new layer regardless of age.

Congratulations on your ‘early’ egg!

 

[Matilda Belle]

That's really early! Congrats! My earliest so far has been 5 months old.

 

[MamaNoccy]

Congrats.... and Welcome to BYC!

Is she 16 weeks or closer to 20 weeks?
Not sure about silkies, but not unusual for other breeds to start laying that early.

Was there a yolk in there?
All pullets lay small eggs at first, can take days, weeks, or months for them to get as large as their 'normal'.

Fairy, fart, wind, rooster eggs are usually from a tiny piece of tissue breaking loose from the reproductive tract, or an immature ova(yolk) and the body forms an egg around it. Color can be darker than 'normal' as the pigment coating released has to cover a much smaller area so is thicker. Can happen with any age layer, but more common with new or older layers.

I think it's explained in this excellent video, which is worth watching regardless:

Thanks for the video! I thought for sure that it was just a fairy, but nope I cracked it open and lo and behold there was a yolk! And to make things better, this afternoon she laid me another!

She's about to hit 21 weeks this Friday, her sisters that hatched at the same time have no interest in the nesting boxes so far though. I suspect that the girl I bought them off got the eggs from a few different breeders so they mightn't be 'true' sisters and would make sense if they weren't ready yet. One of them has only just started getting her wattles in.

 

[aart]

Even true 'sisters' might mature at slightly different rates.

 

[The Backyard Bantams]

My 4 month old silkie Willow popped out her first little fairy egg this morning after much carrying on today and yesterday. Has anyone else experienced such early laying in silkies before? Should I expect her to keep laying or do you think she'll stop until she's a bit older?
View attachment 2029210

It's BEAUTIFUL. I was surprised to find a new eggy in our nests today. No clue which out of my five silkie girlies laid it. (I saw little fleur investigating the boxes tho)

They are only 22 weeks which is not unheard of, but very young for a silkie. They've all been squatting for a couple weeks, but i wonder if the presence of our boy has hastened that?

 

[Emmadwa]

Our silkie has started laying, she's 5 months old. The rooster was with her up to 2 weeks ago, is it possible the eggs would be fertile?? And if so do I leave her with them. New to all of this so not sure what we should do. Thanks