Silkie thread!

[Sirracha]

Hello fellow eggheads. I would love some suggestions to help me get my birds laying in their nesting boxes.
I have some beautiful silkies who have just begun laying about 2 - 3 weeks ago. The problem I have is that
they are not laying in the nesting boxes or even in the coop for that matter. I have placed a ping pong ball in
the nesting boxes and I see that they've sat in there and shaped the bedding like a nest normally would look
but that's it. Any other suggestions? I thought this might happen with my other birds but not my "broody" silkies.
There are 3 hens and 3 roosters and they are all silkies. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all.


                                                                                                             Tommy D

Can you tell us what materials you're using for the nesting box? If they've just started laying, it'll take time for them to figure out they're supposed to lay in the box. Mine like hay and pine shavings weren't that impressive. If you can pin point a time when they lay, maybe lock them in the coop until they get a hint.

 

[foghornleghorn9]

Hi, I'm fairly new to chickens myself but from what I understand there are very few people that can sex a silkie. Even those people aren't 100% sure. I got my first kids Dec. 2013 and they have recently started laying. Out of six birds, I got 3 hens and 3 roos. I love the silkies and wanted to have hens for sure but also wanted chicks, not hens to start with, so I ordered some oline that they can sex for you at birth. I can honestly tell you I was a little apprehensive about ordering them online but the experience was great. I have had my new birds for about a month now and couldn't be happier. They seem healthier and hardier than the ones I bought from a local breeder in Dec. It cost a little more than I would have liked but I know I have 9 hens that will be giving me great tasting mini eggs -lol. I don't have to worry about having more roos and what to do with them. I would have ended up just keeping them but that just adds to the cost of tuition. I have buff orpingtons and easter eggers also and they give me nice full size eggs but the silkies are easily my favorites. Good luck and God Bless.


TD

 

[foghornleghorn9]

Thank you Sirracha. I have pine shavings in the nesting boxes and coop. I like the idea about putting them in the coop around the time they have been laying which has been in late afternoon. I really appreciate the suggestions. Hopefully something will straighten them out. Maybe they just need to mature some more. Thanks again and I will keep you updated.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
They certainly carry a mix of gene; the bird immediately above is wheaten; possibly blue wheaten (which means that Mama or Daddy is not black).

 

[Cynthia12]

A few photos of my babies. Ha, they were still a bit damp on the heads when I took the
photos.

The group, still had two in the bator.

 

[Fancychooklady]

A few photos of my babies. Ha, they were still a bit damp on the heads when I took the photos. The group, still had two in the bator.

Oh sweet . That first little one reminds me of ' beaker ' on Sesame Street .

 

[Brunsy26]

How does my 6.5 month old silkie Lucy look? She's small but still developing!

 

[kabhyper1]

How does my 6.5 month old silkie Lucy look? She's small but still developing!

Aww she is pretty! Her beak is a bit light, so you may have a little pink comb develop. I have a pullet with a pick comb and I think it's adorable. If you aren't breeding or showing, a pink comb is the cutest!

 

[carolsmith7878]

Hello!

I just hatched out some silkies (and silkie/frizzle mixes) a few days ago. They are absolutely adorable, and I would like to get some guesses on colors (just have to upload the pics later).

Here is a pic of a few of the parents. Two white males (one with a trace amount of black in his tail) and one Red male over two white females, two partridge, one that is blue or gray (not sure on this girl (pictured below).. opinions?), and one frizzle.







Please ignore that they are dirty... they do enjoy digging in the mud when it rains.

Okay... Here come the chick pics. I have numbered them. A few are a couple of weeks old, the rest are only a few days old. Any guesses on color are extremely appreciated. The ones marked with pink are from purchased eggs. Thanks!!!!!

Chick-1 Most likely white

Chick-2

Chick-3 Porcelain?


Chick-4 Splash?


Chick-5 Black?


Chick-6 Dark Gray?


Chick-7 Splash?


Chick-8 Showgirl

Chick-9 This one is black with a tan face and it's wing feathers are coming in black and tan?

Chick-10


Chick-11 Frizzle/Silkie Mix


Chick-12


Chick-13

Chick-14


Chick-15

Chick-16


Chick-17

Chick-18


Chick-19

Chick-20

Chick-21


Chick-22


Chick-23



I will update with new pics as they grow so all can see how they progress as time goes on.

 

[kabhyper1]

What would cause one of the eggs under my broody to develop slower than the rest? They were all set at the same time. I candled and one is moving around but looks a few days behind the others.