When will my chicken start laying again?

8 replies

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 23/03/2008 19:00

I bought a pol Silkie last August. She started laying in Jan, for all of 2 weeks and then stopped again. She's definetly not broody. She will start laying again (and hopefully then go broody) now its Spring won't she? I just thouhgt its odd that she layed in Jan but not now.

OP posts:

tortoiseSHELL · 23/03/2008 19:11

Hard to say! Is her comb red? Does she squat when you hold a hand over her? Has she had a moult?

Sometimes they do have a little break from laying, for no apparent reason. My 2 goldlines took a break on the same day for a month or so...

ingles2 · 23/03/2008 19:16

I've never found any of the interesting breeds to be regular reliable layers. I had a silkie who would lay for a few weeks then stop ,then start, It was difficult to tell because her comb was a pale blue/grey colour most of the time. Same with my blue polish. Sorry not much help.

honeybrown · 23/03/2008 19:25

Is she getting enough daylight? I understand that she needs about 14 hours a day to lay regularly (that's if she isn't broody/having a moult).

ska · 23/03/2008 19:45

i think she is waiting for the light to be sufficient. did you have snow today - did she lay today? silkies are reliable broodies according to my book and make great mothers. they dont lay many eggs themselves tho. so like many bantams you will get eggs april - october maybe as many as 3 a week in her first year. be patient, she will layi am sure!

Original poster

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 23/03/2008 20:21

She does squat, doesn't have a comb - just a fluffy pompom!

I'm sure it probably is daylight related - just suprised that she layed in Jan when there was less daylight.

I'm just so impatient for her to go broody so I can get some fertile eggs.

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handlemecarefully · 25/03/2008 16:51

My buff sussex were sluggish coming back on to lay. One of the three started laying again a fortnight ago, another started 4 days ago and I am still waiting for the third one to re start

When do you let them out of the hen house in the morning? I do 7.30 am during the week and 08.00 / 08.30 at weekends

Original poster

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 26/03/2008 10:17

I never shut the pophole.

So I imagine they are out of the henhouse at the crack of dawn.

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handlemecarefully · 27/03/2008 20:29

Bugger! I don't know then. I hope they lay for you soon

Flip