Author Topic: Silkie never laid an egg (Read 12563 times)

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #15 on:** January 09, 2015, 08:21:15 am »

Quote from: roddycm on December 14, 2014, 08:55:29 pm

Quote from: waterbuffalofarmer on December 13, 2014, 06:13:21 pm
The salmon faverolles I bought haven't laid anything yet they're six months old but I have had hens not lay till the following jan, that is if they don't lay in dec. I would kill and eat her or sell her at a cull poultry sale.

I don't think I will eat her as she is too small... but she won't be staying if she doesn't lay thats for sure! I will just give her away to someone who wants a pet. Fingers crossed she will lay

May I ask, if you don't mind? What do you feed her on? I feed my hens on layers pellets. When my chickens refuse to lay I give them diced seaweed in their food, which usually works.

cans · « **Reply #16 on:** January 09, 2015, 11:49:20 am »

Quote from: roddycm on December 14, 2014, 08:55:29 pm

Quote from: waterbuffalofarmer on December 13, 2014, 06:13:21 pm
The salmon faverolles I bought haven't laid anything yet they're six months old but I have had hens not lay till the following jan, that is if they don't lay in dec. I would kill and eat her or sell her at a cull poultry sale.

I don't think I will eat her as she is too small... but she won't be staying if she doesn't lay thats for sure! I will just give her away to someone who wants a pet. Fingers crossed she will lay in spring!

As far as I am aware Silkies are not a table bird

Clansman · « **Reply #17 on:** January 09, 2015, 05:11:02 pm »

You could still eat them though

cans · « **Reply #18 on:** January 09, 2015, 05:22:49 pm »

No I wouldn't. Of all the breeds that my father kept Silkies were the only one we never ate.

ballingall · « **Reply #19 on:** January 09, 2015, 06:36:53 pm »

Interestingly, on I'm a celebrity get me out of here (not that I would watch such a programme

), one night they gave the celebs silkie chicken meat for dinner. This caused big excitement, as it was chicken rather than wallaby, snake, ostrich etc. It was black skinned, and afterwards they all agreed was the worst meal they'd had.

Beth

roddycm · « **Reply #20 on:** January 11, 2015, 07:16:14 pm »

I feed them layers pellets and greens, they also get shell grit for calcium if they want it!

The good news is that she has finally laid!!

And now she has started she is laying every day, the others have stopped so she is all back to front haha I am delighted though and will hatch some chicks out ASAP!

I agree about not wanting to eat a silkie, I know of people who have and they say its not good!

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #21 on:** January 11, 2015, 07:36:32 pm »

Congrats! Am glad to hear it

my two buff Sussex hens have started to lay eggs every day now.

cans · « **Reply #22 on:** January 12, 2015, 04:42:14 pm »

Glad to hear she has finally laid

roddycm · « **Reply #23 on:** January 13, 2015, 05:26:10 pm »

Thanks!! Yes I am really pleased! She has ten eggs and looks like she is thinking about going broody so I will let her hatch out some of her own chicks!

Clansman · « **Reply #24 on:** January 14, 2015, 09:33:39 am »

I'd be tempted to leave her a month or two before letting her hatch eggs Roddy.

Chances are as these are her first eggs, they are going to be quite small therefore the chicks will be small and the fertility probably won't be very high.

would be better to see her with a good batch of big chicks rather than have her hatch out one or two small ones.

roddycm · « **Reply #25 on:** January 14, 2015, 01:52:16 pm »

Apart from the first egg which was small the rest have been of a normal silkie size. She has been mated constantly by the little rooster who has proven very fertile with the other 2 girls who all hatched 100% as first timers (so much better than my plymouths who were about 85% this year *sigh*) I think I will set her with about 10 of the freshest eggs and see what happens! I will keep you posted!