Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

Trying to get a head-count on silkie lovers...

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Hi y'all! I haven't been on this thread in awhile. Love seeing all the chicks hatching this spring! I have a question for you silkie experts..


My hens just turned a year old. But they're not really laying any eggs. I think the only one laying is the younger pullet I have but even she isn't laying that much. Someone was interested in purchasing 2 dozen eggs from me, but I'm worried I won't be able to sell her the full amount of they don't start laying soon. They were laying a few months ago but seemed to have stopped now. Is this normal and is there anything I can do to get them to lay?

Thanks in advance for answers! ❤️
 
Fluffy Lambs said:
Hi y'all! I haven't been on this thread in awhile. Love seeing all the chicks hatching this spring! I have a question for you silkie experts..


My hens just turned a year old. But they're not really laying any eggs. I think the only one laying is the younger pullet I have but even she isn't laying that much. Someone was interested in purchasing 2 dozen eggs from me, but I'm worried I won't be able to sell her the full amount of they don't start laying soon. They were laying a few months ago but seemed to have stopped now. Is this normal and is there anything I can do to get them to lay?

Thanks in advance for answers! ❤️
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Are they broody?
How long have they been layin before stopping?
 
LynnaePB said:
My big hatch finished last night. Lots of vaulted babies and it did not go smoothly as a lot of the babies were malpositioned so there was a lot of helping involved. I think I got lucky that only 4 of the 37 didn't make it. I wouldn't say the rest are out of the woods yet but most are looking pretty good.

It's really hard to resist a lot of these babies but as they were for a friend I'm trying really hard not to take too many. 😅😂

These are the two that surprised me that I think I'll keep. A little mottled I wasn't expecting (I'm super excited as I didn't get any with this much white/yellow down when I was actually trying to hatch mottled). And what I'm hoping might be a splash (I didn't end up getting any splash from the hatch I was trying to get some from either). The little mottled is an Nn like dad. She/he has a single comb but I don't mind too much. The little (maybe) splash has 6 toes on each foot but I'm still excited anyhow. I'm hoping the maybe splash baby inherits some of the red dad has and turns out somewhat splash calico like. :fl

View attachment 3056883

This is mom and dad to the maybe splash baby. Dad is partridge with a lot of red (who I guess must also be blue based if the baby is splash) and mom is a dark blue (with a tiny bit of gold leakage on her neck). The baby could be a really light downed blue too. If I didn't know who the parents were I would suspect a silver based recessive white as well but since both parents are gold based I don't think that is possible.

View attachment 3056896

And here are a couple (poor) group shots of the other babies that hatched. 😂

View attachment 3056897
View attachment 3056898
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Congrats on all the babies! Sorry you lost some, but overall a great hatch rate!😍

The two you plan on keeping are just gorgeous! Will be exciting to see how they feather out!🥰
 
Clodill4rel said:
View attachment 3057063
Best mama hen EVER she lets me hangout pick her up everything such a blessing this one her name is KIWI she hatched a few other mixed ones from our flock
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Congrats on your babies!
These are beautiful photos. You should submit this one for the calendar next year! It is really great.😍
 
Fluffy Lambs said:
Hi y'all! I haven't been on this thread in awhile. Love seeing all the chicks hatching this spring! I have a question for you silkie experts..


My hens just turned a year old. But they're not really laying any eggs. I think the only one laying is the younger pullet I have but even she isn't laying that much. Someone was interested in purchasing 2 dozen eggs from me, but I'm worried I won't be able to sell her the full amount of they don't start laying soon. They were laying a few months ago but seemed to have stopped now. Is this normal and is there anything I can do to get them to lay?

Thanks in advance for answers! ❤️
Click to expand...
Mine have turned out to be so weird! I will get daily eggs for quite a while, then nothing... then one will start back, then stop, the all the others turn the ovens on, then stop. At the moment, all the older 4 are laying again, and my polkie has been eating up calcium and squatting. None (of the non-silkies) are ever broody either. :confused: I am curious if the teenie tiny silkie will even be able to lay an egg at all!

If they have good food and calcium available, I don't think there's much else you can do.
 
ForTheLoveOfSilkies said:
:loveOhhwww, just gorgeous 😍 have you kept some of her offspring? Hopefully you'll get a couple more like her!
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Yes two of them are mixed from her and our Roo stardust …. He’s a lavender olive egger. So I was thinking since we now have two more catches of other Silkys I’d of course breed her and possibly breed her babies back to Silkys when we figure it out next year….
 
Fluffy Lambs said:
Hi y'all! I haven't been on this thread in awhile. Love seeing all the chicks hatching this spring! I have a question for you silkie experts..


My hens just turned a year old. But they're not really laying any eggs. I think the only one laying is the younger pullet I have but even she isn't laying that much. Someone was interested in purchasing 2 dozen eggs from me, but I'm worried I won't be able to sell her the full amount of they don't start laying soon. They were laying a few months ago but seemed to have stopped now. Is this normal and is there anything I can do to get them to lay?

Thanks in advance for answers! ❤️
Click to expand...
What season is it? Light molt?
Most of mine have been fairly consistent, lay 12 eggs then go broody then molt then start up laying again after raising the chicks for a couple months.
Not much you can do if they are healthy, well fed, calcium available - could try vitamins in water for extra boost? Double check for mites/worms etc.
Any stress? Bullying? Plenty of roost space and nest box availability? No hidden nests in the bush?
 

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