savena5630 Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 I got my chickens in April, at 3 weeks old. They are half RIR, half Silkie. They're 20 weeks old today, but still no eggs! Do you know if there is anything I can do? Or could they be ill? They still seem quite small to me. I'm getting so impatient! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxigirl Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 It's nothing to worry about, it'll happen when it happens. They could start at the end of September but then again it could be next year. (going by my lots start times) Sorry you'll have to keep buying eggs a bit longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savena5630 Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 Haha, thanks. Why next year? Isn't POL meant to be between 16-20 weeks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dance in the dark Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 20 weeks is nothing. Hybrids normally lay by about this time, but I have never known a pure breed lay earlier than 24 weeks really. They take a little longer to mature, and I think silkies are often a bit older before they lay anyway. I am not sure what your mixed breed will be like as winter layers, but it wouldn't surprise me if your didn't get an egg this year. It's perfectly possible, but don't hold out hope. Either way, they sound like a lovely mixed breed, and I am sure they are friendly. If eggs are your major aim though, perhaps you'll need to expand an get a hybrid or two? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnie&Moose Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 In my very limited experience POL for pure breeds can be a lot more variable than it is for the commercial hybrids - we've had several 'posh' girls wait until 30+ weeks before they graced us with an egg or two Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KateH Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 I agree, I've had pure bred girls that waited until well passed 30 weeks to lay. I usually find 'POL' denotes the age of the hen, rather than whether they are actually about to lay or not! Also, some breeds like silkies take a bit longer than others. I don't expect an egg from the silkies I got this year. Sometime they will suprise you though, one of my wyandottes started laying at the beginning of January, so you might not have to wait until spring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Haha, thanks. Why next year? Isn't POL meant to be between 16-20 weeks? POL covers at lot of 'sins' basically from personal experiance if they haven't started to lay by mid to late September them I don't expect mine to start to lay until after boxing day as thats when the days start to get longer and day length play a big part in egg production and to be honest I find the older they are when they lay the first egg the bter the layer they are I've got 4 that hatched in Febuary 2 started to lay at 18 weeks old and for every grade 'A' egg, they lay 4 or 5 rubbish eggs yet the 2 that waited an extra 3 or 4 weeks they are turning out to be top notch layers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue44 Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 My 28 week old silkie just started laying on Thursday - an egg everyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dance in the dark Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 I had an araucana who reached 18 weeks by this time last year and I hoped I might get an egg before winter, but not, I had to wait until this April. I had cream legbars who were a couple of weeks younger and them came into lay in January. To look out for when they are going to lay have a look at their combs (though I don't know what colour or size a silkiexRiR comb would look like) and if it's getting bigger, more prominant, more colourful (assuming they have the redness of a RIR) and the start crouching, you might get some eggs soon. Unless all that's going on you would be very lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savena5630 Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 Thank you all for your help! Do you think me having a rooster has anything to do with it?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Thank you all for your help! Do you think me having a rooster has anything to do with it?? not really hens don't read the same books as we do so they lay when they want to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
