Silkie thread!

[Regin]

I have visited this thread a few times before but I am quite new so I hope Im not interrupting a topic of discussion but I am just so excited. Today at 7 1/2 months old (hatched 01/01/14) one of my Splash Silkie pullets laid her first egg

*Edited*

So, this silkie laid the first egg at 7 1/2 Months?

Question ... At what age do Silkies generally begin laying?

 

[Fancychooklady]

This little guy started out like that.

 

[debbie50chicks]

Lovely. In my crystal ball I see ' chicken math ' in your future.

LOL! Me too...Me too!

 

[dstinett]

Thanks so much for helping me feel better!  I think you probably don't have fire ants up there - you're lucky!  We found we can keep them out of our (human) house by putting a line of dish soap along the door entrances of the house since they don't like to cross the sticky soap.  I guess I could try putting the soap around the blocks the coop sits on, but not sure if it would hurt the birds if they try to drink it, and every time it rains I'd have to redo it, so not sure if it would work.  I definitely need to try something though since I've even lost adult birds to the fire ants swarming before (luckily not recently).

try spraying cooking oil or any other oil on nest boxes. The ants can't climb in. Works great on plastic or metal boxes. I also use a lot of ant kill around henhouse. Never had prob with chickens eating it

 

[Going Quackers]

*Edited*

So, this silkie laid the first egg at 7 1/2 Months?

Question ... At what age do Silkies generally begin laying?

I;ve found it varies i have had some do so under 1yo, others practically be 1yo lol funny enough i actually had the younger lady come into lay and set a clutch before some of my older(but still young) birds lol

I've found them to be pretty good layers after they start, it's the starting that is the kicker...

 

[Regin]

Quote: The fire ants have been really bad this year. We use the ant bait. As soon as we get rid of a few mounds, a few more pop up. We've probably treated 30 mounds this year!

Although I have been 'bitten' several times, they don't seem to bother the chickens much, the Dominiques will dust bathe in the mounds!

 

[Regin]

Quote: Thank you for the information. I have one girl that is 21 weeks, I was beginning to wonder. Also 6 more that are 16 weeks. Guess I've still got a while to wait !

 

[dstinett]

We don't touch the mounds outside of our living zone (yard and animal living quarters.). The mounds get huge but at least you see them. It seems MOST of the ants go to the big colony. Then come winter we add ant bait to mounds. Its not 100% but it sure helped with mounds in the yard where my toddler plays

 

[Sylvester017]

*Edited*

So, this silkie laid the first egg at 7 1/2 Months?

Question ... At what age do Silkies generally begin laying?

One Silkie owner had her girl lay at 5-1/2 months. I've had one lay at 6 months and one at almost 8 months. They are great layers 4-6/week and good sized eggs - it's just their broodiness or moulting that slows their production down but I don't mind. They need long rests after such prolific laying cycles. I am thrilled whenever one of my hens moults or broods because their body can use the rest from using so much of their body's nutrients to lay such big eggs. Of course feed a good nutritious diet and make sure those broodies get out of their nest a few times a day to eat/drink/dust-bathe.

 

[Sylvester017]

Merle is so handsome! Silkie roos are sweeter than Silkie hens IMO but he does need 3 or 4 ladies. They are so cute when they come running for treats.