Silkies not laying

[Timbers Happy Hens]

Hello, I have a buff silkie hen I’ve had for about 6 months. Sissy Is almost 2 and definitely the boss hen. My problem is she only laid for the first month after I got her. An egg every other day, then completely ceased. Not a single egg in 5 months. She eats layer crumble with free choice calcium. She’s very healthy and active otherwise. She’s in a covered run with a couple other pullets and a rooster. Does anyone know why she’s not laying? I read that silkies are better winter layers, is this true?

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Hello, I have a buff silkie hen I’ve had for about 6 months. Sissy Is almost 2 and definitely the boss hen. My problem is she only laid for the first month after I got her. An egg every other day, then completely ceased. Not a single egg in 5 months. She eats layer crumble with free choice calcium. She’s very healthy and active otherwise. She’s in a covered run with a couple other pullets and a rooster. Does anyone know why she’s not laying? I read that silkies are better winter layers, is this true?

I’m not sure but your chickens are really cute and pretty! @fluffycrow do have any thoughts?

 

[Timbers Happy Hens]

I’m not sure but your chickens are really cute and pretty! @fluffycrow do have any thoughts?

Thank you! I just picked up a chocolate and a grey partridge silkie a couple weeks ago. I can definitely update with new pictures of the bantam girls if you’d like!

 

[fluffycrow]

All mature birds cease laying in the winter, when the days get short. Pullets usually keep laying in the winter, but their laying cycle is more sporadic. I'm a little confused on who is the one not laying

 

[Yardmom]

My pet quality silkies do lay better than my standard birds during the winter. Many of them have also taken breaks other times of the year. Often the breaks were for brooding and raising chicks. I'm not sure if they would be laying if they hadn't brooded chicks.
Has your hen shown any signs of broodiness in the past? Any chance of hidden eggs? This time of year many hens don't lay with the short daylight hours. It is tough to tell if there are other reasons your hen didn't lay a few months ago.

 

[Timbers Happy Hens]

All mature birds cease laying in the winter, when the days get short. Pullets usually keep laying in the winter, but their laying cycle is more sporadic. I'm a little confused on who is the one not laying

My buff silkie is the only one not laying, she’s almost 2 she was laying consistently for a month in may and consistently with her previous owner. From June to the present she has not layed an egg. I know she’s not as she’s the only laying age hen I have In this coop. The rest of my pullets are only 4 or 5 months.

 

[fluffycrow]

My buff silkie is the only one not laying, she’s almost 2 she was laying consistently for a month in may and consistently with her previous owner. From June to the present she has not layed an egg. I know she’s not as she’s the only laying age hen I have In this coop. The rest of my pullets are only 4 or 5 months.

I see. What are your summer temps? This is indeed a rather prolonged gap. Cod there be any hidden nests? Do you free range?

 

[Timbers Happy Hens]

My pet quality silkies do lay better than my standard birds during the winter. Many of them have also taken breaks other times of the year. Often the breaks were for brooding and raising chicks. I'm not sure if they would be laying if they hadn't brooded chicks.
Has your hen shown any signs of broodiness in the past? Any chance of hidden eggs? This time of year many hens don't lay with the short daylight hours. It is tough to tell if there are other reasons your hen didn't lay a few months ago.

She’s been in a covered run so it’d be really hard for her to hide eggs. She’s actually my only silkie that hasn’t been broody. I just thought 5 almost 6 months is a suspiciously long amount of time to not lay. I thought about getting a solar led light as a supplement for her and see if that makes a difference

 

[Timbers Happy Hens]

I see. What are your summer temps? This is indeed a rather prolonged gap. Cod there be any hidden nests? Do you free range?

She is in a covered run that’s probably 4 feet deep and 6 feet wide. There’s no way she could hide eggs. My summer temps were 80-100 on the west coast at about 1500 foot elevation. I read that silkies don’t do well in the heat and prefer cooler temps. Could the cooler winter months encourage her to start laying again? She is stunning and so close to the silkie sop, so I’ve been dying for eggs lol

 

[fluffycrow]

She’s been in a covered run so it’d be really hard for her to hide eggs. She’s actually my only silkie that hasn’t been broody. I just thought 5 almost 6 months is a suspiciously long amount of time to not lay. I thought about getting a solar led light as a supplement for her and see if that makes a difference

Well this is proven to be slightly harder than expected. If it gives you any comfort, I don't think anything is wrong with her. Personally I would let her have her very extended break, and see I'd there's any improvement by spring