I eventually acquired a young, but already laying silkie. (I traded in a rooster to the woman I got my chicks from bc we can't have them where I live.) The woman told me she isn't a great layer, 2-3 eggs/week. I mostly got her bc she is cool and I was hoping her eggs would motivate the easter eggers and Orpingtons I'd gotten as chicks to lay. She didn't lay for almost 3 weeks after the stress of the move, which I understand is normal. Well, since she's been laying I get an egg almost every single day! A neighbor told me that she could just be backed up with eggs and it will probably taper off. Is this possible? I'd never heard of it and Google isn't helping. I've been getting an egg a day for about two weeks now. I'd also thought it could be one of the other chickens laying, but the eggs all look the same in size and color to me. I thought orpington's would be bigger and darker eggs than the silkie..? And the easter eggers, well I'm hoping they're blue or green eggs! The Easter Eggers are about 6-7 months and the Orpingtons about 5-6 months. I appreciate any input!
Possibly the Orpington....Smaller eggs at the beginning and get larger as they lay......Same colour egg as my Buff Orpingtons.....My Blue Orpingtons lay darker eggs......My lavender Splash Orpington lays a light cream egg...... Watch who is in the nest box in the mornings or afternoon......... Cheers!
Welcome to BYC!! LOL 'backed up'!! Yeah, not really possible...I don't think. One bird laying will not really 'motivate' the others to lay if they are not physically ready to lay....but we can hope. Are you in the northern hemisphere? Adding your location to your profile can help folks give better answers/suggestions. Might want to examine vents and pelvic points to see who is laying those eggs, not an absolute measurement, but with comparing multiple birds and some practice, it's pretty accurate. Vent Appearance: Dry, tight, and smaller - usually not laying. Moist, wide, and larger - usually laying. Pelvic Points 2 bony points(pelvic bones) on either side of vent: Less than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means not laying. More than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means laying.
Silkies will generally lay an egg every day or every other day for a few weeks than they go broody. As said, they don't get backed up. Laying goes up and down throughout the season and most hens aren't consistent year round, so production changes based on season and weather.
I agree it's just going to be variable. Silkies tend to be more cyclical layers in my (admittedly limited) experience. The're more geared toward going broody, so they tend to lay for a few weeks, what would be a clutch, then go broody. that said, I have a silkie hen from spring 14 who has started laying again this fall, and she's been doing the 5 egg a week thing for almost a month. Surprised me, for sure, but since everyone else is being a freeloader I'll take what I can get right now!
