What breed is laying these eggs?

[CloudedLullaby]

I got my first two eggs today and I am not sure who ia laying them. Sorry if this is the wrong thing in the wrong forum.

I got silkies whove been around for three days and the other 10 are mixed breeds I got last night.

The mixed is
Black Australorps
Buff Orpington
Asia Blacks
Gold (and a silver) Laced Wyandotte

The second egg I got later was the largeer white egg and I think it was this silkie hen here named snow White (she came with 7 others) because it was right behind her. But they were all cuddled up (we came back after work and checked on them after 9)

 

[Lady of McCamley]

With mixed breeds, if you mean none of the chickens are pure breeds, there is no way of knowing who laid what unless you somehow trap nest them or, uhem, yes, mark their vents with different food colors. Mixed genetics means mixed results which are not determinable by appearance.

Silkies usually have smaller eggs than "grocery store" normal size. That's about the only clue.

If you truly mean those listed breeds, just a mixed flock of pure breeds, any and all of those birds have the genetics to lay tinted to brownish eggs. None are truly white layers, so not sure who might have laid that. Buff Orps possibly come the closest to a pale tint, and Wyandottes can lay paler too. While the Australorps and Asia Blacks typically lay more medium brown. But again, none of those breeds are normally true white layers.

My thoughts.
Lofmc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Wilco Stores offers this color chart...but mind you colors vary within established breeds. Mixed breeds would be even more different.

 

[CloudedLullaby]

Oh I meant mixed breeds in the flock. Theyre pure from my understanding. Im sorry. I just got done working a lot of hours and I am super tired. Trying to deal with these new chickens and working 58 hours suddenly sucks lol.


But thank you so much. I got all these free. The silkies are pure as well as the ones I listed. Since I got them randomly I am just trying my best to learn everything I can. This site is very helpful.


The smaller one is a very light brown. My boyfriend thibjs it was the buff but I didnt think they would lay right away especially since we just added them not even 24 hours ago.

The silkies are adults and we just got them on tuesday-wednesday. And that white larfer egg happened much later in the day.

We were there in the afternoon around 11ish when we found the small light brownish egg. Its very light in color. (Also I am slightly colorblind so its hard for me to see colors.)

The second we found after work which we got out at 9.

I was just surprised and have no idea what their eggs would look since I am still trying to learn how to sex them haha.

But thank you for that tip witht the dye. Even though he raised red ranger and freedom rangers last year and all his life... This is my first.

We honestly saved these chickens. The silkies were held in a one car garage with 40+ others plus rabbits. I guess it was absolutely horrible.

And the mixed flock were in a mud area with old doors and pallets as their fencing with ducks. She wasnt sure they were even being fed by the looks of things and how aggressive they are with food.

We have 9 acres of land theyre staying on to help with ticks, bugs, and grass. They are all fenced in and protected with electrical fencing. And theyre on an organic diet. I have been trying to go through this website for tips and tricks for them cause i want them happy and healthy.

Its hard though with work lol. I just hope I am doing a good job.

We arent going to hatch any eggs yet. But I dont really want more silkies. I have younger ones and some baby chicks in a brooder that are silkies lol. I got more than I wanted but I love all of them very much. I am constantly worried about them.


I just was trying to figure out how to identify which egg is from which breed but I am guessing that will be a little harder than i thought.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

It sounds like you've got a great set up. Just as rule of thumb make sure for roosting adult birds have about 2 square feet minimum of roosting space...though most birds huddle up at night anyways. It cuts down on the "elbow" jostling at night, though, if you have room to flap a bit without jumping onto somebody.

They'll do fine as long as they have free access to clean food and water, then clean litter. That's 99% of taking care of chickens. The other 1% is predators which sounds like you've done a good job. Just don't forget the diggers can get UNDER fence too.

Back to the eggs. Sometimes my Silkies will throw a really larger egg than i would expect, but still not the "grocery store large" egg size. Silkies lay light tint eggs which could look almost white. Their eggs vary from pretty light tint to almost a light beige.

If the hens are mature, which it sounds like they are, there is no reason to not expect eggs pretty soon. My daughter and her new hubby traveled from our home in Oregon to his farm in Tennessee pulling a trailer of 5 of my good hens as a wedding gift. They laid during the journey.

Probably the Buff Orp laid the larger lighter tint egg, but it could have been one of the Silkies. Was it a double? If so, then likely a Silkie double?

Welcome to BYC. Welcome to chicken keeping. Please keep us posted of your progress

LofMc

 

[CloudedLullaby]

The food and water is no problem. They get shut into the coop. So it goes electric fencing low and high. Electric netting. Then theyre in a large coop.

Our roosting was set up for the rangers. I didnt realize silkies couldnt. So now we are setting up a way for them to be able to climb up though apparently the buffs must of ended up showing a couple how to get up there because tonight there was a couple of the black silkies and splashed with the two buffs. It was nice to see them cuddled together on the roost and nesting boxes.

The silkies have been there for a couple days so I just figured the stress of the move and adjusting would delay them.

I bought organic plain yogurt and organic bananas for a treat - well me and them lol. I dont want to treat them too much yet but I am happy with the eggs and them getting along so I thought a nice food treat would be kind of welcoming. I have held and petted a couple of them.

The buffs seem very... I think the word I am looking for is skittish? They def dont want me to pet or come near. I thought they would end up the more friendly. I was kinda surprised though that any of them let me pet them yet.

We also have a trail camera and our camper set up out there with generators and solar panels so we will stay here and there just to keep an eye as much as we can.

He butchered his hens and roosters down to about 7. Winter took 1 but the other 2 were predators. He let them completely free range. They were big birds tho and they were agressive and smart.
We lost buddy like a month ago to a car. It was the only he lost to the road. And another ended up getting hit but survived. Though he ended up passing. The other two were stolen whilw we were at work.

I was pretty devastated cause even though I just got to know them, I got attatched to Buddy. Hed let me hold him and would demand my attention. He knew if he put his feathers down and do that like feather dance they do that I would pick him up. And he did it and wouldnt fight it at all. He even fell asleep in my arms.

My boyfriend saw how much it affected me cause I wouldnt go back out and got kinda depresses. (I suffer from PTSD and bipolar depression) somehow taking care of animals helps. Before the chickens I had a beta fish that was like a support animal for me lol. Really helped me. And those chickens did the same.

And now these ones do.

We were going to set up fencing anyways because of losing buddy to the road.
But when we got this silkies we quickly prepared everything for them.

Plus we have another pen with smaller ones that we eventually want to introduce when we think its right that has silkies and apparently mixed breeds of silkie/ee and silkie/brahma? That are bantams? We arent sure. But they are growing up quickly. We've only had them for a week or a little more and theyve already grown in size and the runt had a bald head thats now covered.

I love the feeling of seeing them grow. I am just kinda proud lmfao.

They were our first batch. And they have had worms that we got from moving a board. Tons of grass and bugs cause we move their run around so they can feed off of the land. They seemed to eat more grass and bugs then their feed.

Before and after pics of them:

After:

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Great story. And yes, animals are very therapeutic. Sorry about Buddy. It's always your favorite.

Word of warning. Silkies usually don't make good ranging birds. It's hard for them to see well with their crests, and they waddle more than run. Mine were known as hawk bait until I put them in a dedicated covered run and coop.

Have fun with your birds.

 

[CloudedLullaby]

Great story. And yes, animals are very therapeutic. Sorry about Buddy. It's always your favorite.

Word of warning. Silkies usually don't make good ranging birds. It's hard for them to see well with their crests, and they waddle more than run. Mine were known as hawk bait until I put them in a dedicated covered run and coop.

Have fun with your birds.

Ah thanks.

And theyre all fenced in with netting above. I already read that. I just didnt know about them not being able to really get up to roost.

 

[FowlWitch]

I got my first two eggs today and I am not sure who ia laying them. Sorry if this is the wrong thing in the wrong forum.

I got silkies whove been around for three days and the other 10 are mixed breeds I got last night.

View attachment 1844388

View attachment 1844389



The mixed is
Black Australorps
Buff Orpington
Asia Blacks
Gold (and a silver) Laced Wyandotte





View attachment 1844390


The second egg I got later was the largeer white egg and I think it was this silkie hen here named snow White (she came with 7 others) because it was right behind her. But they were all cuddled up (we came back after work and checked on them after 9)

View attachment 1844391

I know most people prefer the silkies with the crests, but I am in love with your girl! I've never seen a silkie with a clean face, and I think she's just beautiful! Very lovely bird you have there

 

[CloudedLullaby]

I know most people prefer the silkies with the crests, but I am in love with your girl! I've never seen a silkie with a clean face, and I think she's just beautiful! Very lovely bird you have there

Oh thank you so much! Shes the only one with a smooth head. we call her snow White and the head rooster and her seem to run things.

Theyre like a couple and they match well. I am slowly getting picture of each one. Trying to handle one or two a day so they get use to me. We call him prince charming. If I can get a good picture of him or them together I will try and show you what I mean.

But yeah i love her. I cant believe she was given away til I learned what kind of environment they lived in. Now I kinda understand why the one we call Ricky walks in circles when excited.

I would really love to show them but I have no idea about showing plus I know you need to blood test them I guess. And I have no idea what that would cost around here lol