# Anyone here have chickens? Advice please. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 27, 2006, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420 "2006-09-27T22:10:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Barrels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@Barrels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrels)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/1 "2006-09-27T22:10:55Z")
I recently got into the chicken thing. Of course I couldn’t pick a usefull breed of chickens, so I have Silkies. They have the cute factor down and I know they are supposed to lay eggs. Here is my problem, my hens are 6.5 months old and they still aren’t laying! So anyone have suggestions for me? Or just general chicken themed advise? Thanks Barrels ---
**Author:** ![Titus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/48db29/32.png) [@Titus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Titus)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/2 "2006-09-27T22:17:38Z")
6 months is when they should start, but it will depend on the environment too. Are you feeding them any egg food? There is special food formulated to make them produce more eggs. Are they warm where you are? Are they getting enough light? Are they calm? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/3 "2006-09-27T22:21:58Z")
Are they secretly building a wooden object that looks a lot like an airplane? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/4 "2006-09-27T22:24:48Z")
Hm. Well they stop laying at [around 3 years old](http://www.petinfo4u.com/chickens.htm). Could be timing. If your silkies are expected to drop about 80 eggs a year, they are probably waiting for the days to get a little longer. [Like 12 hours](http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/pnw/pnw565.pdf#search=%22chickens%2C%20silkies%2C%20laying%20age%22). If they’re not producing by June, eat 'em. Silkies is mostly dark meat…yum! ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/5 "2006-09-28T00:57:38Z")
My chicken-raising experience come from _long_ ago, but … [QUOTE=Barrels] I have Silkies. They have the cute factor down [/QUOTE] I’m not sure this is the best scheme. I used to feel that the young chicks were appealing but it was a good think the older ones weren’t - when the time came to kill them, all charm was gone and sentiment didn’t interfere. > [@](#): > > anyone have suggestions for me? Or just general chicken themed advise? I used to supply a hot (okay, warm) mash in the evening, and this appeared to encourage egg production. My chickens had the run of the yard. Getting them back into the henhouse at night was challenging until I brought out a hawk-shaped kite - one glance at this in the sky and they were headed for shelter. The job of getting them inside went from 10 minutes to 15 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/6 "2006-09-28T01:10:57Z")
Do you have a rooster? ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/7 "2006-09-28T01:35:12Z")
**Barrels** , I know you are in WI, maybe the days are getting too short. Feed them a layer mash and some crushed oyster shell, and keep the light on in their coop so they get 12 hours of light. I bet you’ll see eggs within 2 weeks. Note: I do not have chickens, but I do have turkeys and ducks. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/8 "2006-09-28T01:53:26Z")
I’ve never had Silkies (we had Rhode Island Reds, and I think Plymouth Rock hens) but [this site](http://www.geocities.com/chickenfarmerjoyce/breedinfo.html) claims they’ll lay during the winter as long as it’s above 10F. Where did you get your hens? You might get some advice from their breeder. I know that the person we bought our ducks from didn’t mind questions. Or hey, it’s fair time, maybe you’ll find someone knowledgable in the Poultry barn 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Barrels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@Barrels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrels)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/9 "2006-09-28T01:54:22Z")
A few more facts to clarify. The chickens are on a layer mix, so they are getting all kinds of good stuff to eat. I also get them outside for at least a few hours everyday. They get table scrapes and whatever I think they might like (grapes are the favorite.) They have a rooster to keep them “satisfied”. As of today I am keeping a low watt light on 24/7 so that the sun doesn’t affect the egg laying. I think they are warm enough, it’s been a little chilly here lately but not bad. Right now I think I am going to chalk it up to stress. We moved them to the new place a little over a week ago and then culled the extra roosters the other day. So thier world has been strange, that doesn’t account for why they weren’t laying before the move though. I’ll give it another couple weeks before I get really worried 🙂 Barrels ---
**Author:** ![Barrels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@Barrels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrels)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/10 "2006-09-28T02:00:03Z")
[QUOTE=August West] **Barrels** , I know you are in WI, maybe the days are getting too short. Feed them a layer mash and some crushed oyster shell, and keep the light on in their coop so they get 12 hours of light. I bet you’ll see eggs within 2 weeks. Note: I do not have chickens, but I do have turkeys and ducks. [/QUOTE] I just looked at where you live, we are only about 10 miles from each other! I’m on Hwy Q near Milford… Strange! ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/11 "2006-09-28T04:09:52Z")
[QUOTE=GingerOfTheNorth] Do you have a rooster? [/QUOTE] Is that _ALL_ you think about? ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/12 "2006-09-28T06:15:33Z")
Actually, having a rooster/s for too few hens can cause undue stress on the poor girlies and put them OFF laying…they have to spend too much time and energy avoiding the amorous advances of the testosterone-addled cock. What’s your ratio of blokes to ladies? IIRC, depending on the breed, the most advantageous mix is 1:10. Of course, you do not need a rooster at all with layers, and if eggs are your prime motivation for keeping chooks, then it might be wise to get rid of the fellas altogether. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/13 "2006-09-28T06:29:59Z")
[QUOTE=Inigo Montoya] Is that _ALL_ you think about? [/QUOTE] 😃😃 I came here to give chicken advice, but thanks to this guy, I wet my pant laughin’! ( I got nothin’ nobody else hasn’t told you) ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/14 "2006-09-28T12:48:43Z")
[QUOTE=Barrels] I just looked at where you live, we are only about 10 miles from each other! I’m on Hwy Q near Milford… Strange! [/QUOTE] Which Farmington did you find? 😃 There are at least 3 in WI, I live in the one between Kewaskum and Random Lake. It’s very confusing at times. ---
**Author:** ![Schlep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Schlep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schlep)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/15 "2006-09-28T14:48:48Z")
It sounds as though you are feeding them everything they need. Although providing crushed oyster shell is important so as the eggshells are formed well. They need the grit anyway. Their environment seems ideal as well. I agree that they should be laying within 6 mos. but it can vary. The time of your move is most likely when laying was going to start. I would definitely chalk it up to stress. Chickens are EXTREMELY stupid so any disruption to their surroundings takes approx. a week for them to adjust. Any removals of the flock will add more time to this for the pecking order to reform. I have Bantams now and find them to be a bit smarter. If that’s possible in the chicken world. I suggest you change nothing but also throw them some grain/dried corn mix at the end of the day. This will help for a nice yolk along with the vegee scraps that you dish out. It also gives them something to do. Hang bunches of greens from butcher twine so it is just above the ground in the coop. It enterains them for a long time. Happy hens will lay daliy. So, wait the extra 2 weeks and keep in mind that your first eggs (pullets) will be very small. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Barrels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@Barrels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrels)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/16 "2006-09-28T21:27:44Z")
[QUOTE=kambuckta] Actually, having a rooster/s for too few hens can cause undue stress on the poor girlies and put them OFF laying…they have to spend too much time and energy avoiding the amorous advances of the testosterone-addled cock. What’s your ratio of blokes to ladies? IIRC, depending on the breed, the most advantageous mix is 1:10. Of course, you do not need a rooster at all with layers, and if eggs are your prime motivation for keeping chooks, then it might be wise to get rid of the fellas altogether. [/QUOTE] I have 1 rooster and 2 hens right now. they all get along really well. I picked out the least “manly” rooster when I culled the others to put in with them. I don’t think they are worried about him at all. HOwever I decided I am going to pick up a few more hens this weekend. I know it will stress the girls and they won’t lay for a while longer, but I hope one day they will get over it. Barrles ---
**Author:** ![Barrels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@Barrels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrels)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/17 "2006-09-28T21:31:21Z")
[QUOTE=August West] Which Farmington did you find? 😃 There are at least 3 in WI, I live in the one between Kewaskum and Random Lake. It’s very confusing at times. [/QUOTE] Really? You mean thereis more than 1 FARMington in WI? 😃 I thought you meant the one by me in Johnson Creek, to bad! ---
**Author:** ![Tully\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Tully\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tully_Mars)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-chickens-advice-please/374420/18 "2006-09-28T22:31:43Z")
[QUOTE=kambuckta] testosterone-addled cock. [/QUOTE] Band name! 🙂