When will Silkies be ready to hatch their own eggs/

[Silkiehen]

I will be getting 6 Silkies around March 15. They will be a few days old. Will they be ready to hatch eggs by the end of the year?

 

[Puddin Fluff]

I believe most breeds start laying around 5 plus months old. Silkies can develop a little later, I think. I know it takes longer to know if you have a male or female anyway. As far as them hatching their own eggs, you just need to hope for a broodie girl, which I also understand is commonwith silkies. Good luck.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Here's my experience with my own Silkies. The earliest I've ever gotten an egg from one of mine was about 7 months old, the latest was a little over a year old. The hens typically don't got broody until after they've started laying. They they'll lay until they decide its time to be broody. I've had girls that laid for a week then sat on eggs, some that waited a few months, or years and I've had hens that never went broody. I've read of others Silkies going broody or raising chicks with another hen before they laid eggs (which is why I said they typically don't go broody until after they start laying). If you're Silkies are coming from a hatchery, they'll probably be geared a little more towards production and may start laying earlier. Or not.

So, doesn't really answer your question, I know. But, its just one of those things where you have to wait and see (and maybe hope) about. When your Silkies will do what they'll do depends on them. If you've got one, your chances of having a broody are pretty darn good. If you've got more than one, I think its highly unlikely that no one will want to hatch eggs.

Good luck with your chicks

 

[Silkiehen]

Here's my experience with my own Silkies. The earliest I've ever gotten an egg from one of mine was about 7 months old, the latest was a little over a year old. The hens typically don't got broody until after they've started laying. They they'll lay until they decide its time to be broody. I've had girls that laid for a week then sat on eggs, some that waited a few months, or years and I've had hens that never went broody. I've read of others Silkies going broody or raising chicks with another hen before they laid eggs (which is why I said they typically don't go broody until after they start laying). If you're Silkies are coming from a hatchery, they'll probably be geared a little more towards production and may start laying earlier. Or not.

So, doesn't really answer your question, I know. But, its just one of those things where you have to wait and see (and maybe hope) about. When your Silkies will do what they'll do depends on them. If you've got one, your chances of having a broody are pretty darn good. If you've got more than one, I think its highly unlikely that no one will want to hatch eggs.

Good luck with your chicks

Ok. thank you!

 

[Varglet]

I got my Silkies on May 8th of last year as day old chicks. I don't remember when they started laying, between October and November, but they hatched out five babies at the end of December.