Silkies?

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

I was told the white one is a year and a half and the other two are about a year. They also told me the white one is very broody and lays lots of eggs.

Oh thats good then, sounds like once they are settled in and back to laying you'll have a broody in no time! .. You could put some fake eggs in a nest box to encourage them to think it's safe and to lay there.

I was lucky when I bought an old Silkie hen (4 years old) she laid an egg the day after she was at my place! She is often broody too and still a great layer years later! Another I got off same lady was 3 years old and laid through Winter.

 

[ChickCrazyWorryWort]

I put an egg in the nesting boxes Sunday and either hens seem interested in it nor have laid an egg themselves. I’m starting to worry I was lied to and got non laying hens… I got them Friday and today’s Wednesday and haven’t had a single egg… Of course my boyfriends telling me if they aren’t going to lay soon we’ll need to find them new homes. He understands they need to get settled and only lay a few times a week, but we have had them for 6 days now. I’m already so attached and in love with them I don’t see myself able to do that. Is there anything else I can do?

 

[Chicalina]

Yes, you can wait, chill out and have patience!

Harder to say than do, I know.

6 days and you are thinking of getting rid of them? Relax! Make sure they have all they need and little stress, and assuming they aren't too old, then eggs will happen.

 

[ChickCrazyWorryWort]

I’m trying so hard to just not worry about them. I give them fresh water with ice cubes (it’s been so hot and humid here lately) and food everyday. They have a total of 3 food and water dishes spread around their run one is right up against the coop. Their coop is an old dog house with 2 milk crates with pine shaving and a low roosting bar. The hens occasionally stick their head in there and then just turn around and continue doing their thing in the run. Once’s it starts to get dark they all pile up in one nesting box for the night. Thank you though!

Yes, you can wait, chill out and have patience!

Harder to say than do, I know.

6 days and you are thinking of getting rid of them? Relax! Make sure they have all they need and little stress, and assuming they aren't too old, then eggs will happen.

 

[Chicalina]

It's too easy to worry too much! I'm sure they will be fine. They've had a big life change moving homes, so let them settle for a while. They might even moult first, which means a longer wait. Time will tell. Best of luck with them!

 

[ChickCrazyWorryWort]

So my silkie finally laid her first egg today. She’s not going broody on it, but it is her first egg she’s laid since she’s been with us. We do have a rooster that mounts her and we where told when we got her she would be laying fertile eggs for a while longer. I am new to silkies and even to hatching chicks so I was just wonder what do I do now? I wasn’t planning on incubating I want to just let her do her thing.

 

[Chicalina]

Yay for the first egg!!

If you want eggs to eat, just collect them every day.

If you want her to go broody and hatch chicks, then put some fake eggs in her nest until you are sure she is properly broody, and then swap them for fertile eggs. This may take a few weeks for her hormones to kick in.

 

[ChickCrazyWorryWort]

Yay for the first egg!!

If you want eggs to eat, just collect them every day.

If you want her to go broody and hatch chicks, then put some fake eggs in her nest until you are sure she is properly broody, and then swap them for fertile eggs. This may take a few weeks for her hormones to kick in.

Awesome thank you!

 

[ChickCrazyWorryWort]

So we are on egg 3 now and I have 4 fake eggs in there with them. She’s not going broody or laying on them. She will go in during the day and move all the eggs around and out of the nesting boxes. I have been putting the eggs back in the nesting box at night before they go in the coop and by the time I let them out in the morning the eggs are all over the coop again. I also think my other silkie started laying also because one of the real eggs is slightly a different color than the other 2, but she’s not going broody either. I have also noticed my rooster will occasionally go in the coop during the day and move an egg or two around and then comes back out. What’s going on and what should I do? Thank you.

 

[Chicalina]

All you can do really is wait.

You could confine her to a crate or nest box, but that is unlikely to work unless she has already started to go broody. It can help to 'set' the hormones.