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Warlord · 11-03-2009 05:20:41

New to raising chickens and I bought silkies from a show at a local fair here in Maine, I bought a rooster and two hens, One hen flew the coupe.
Any how my hen just laid her first egg, What should I do with it? I would like to have chicks. But is it to late in the year? It is getting cold here.
Or should I just eat it? Again I walked into this with no knoledge of chickens I wanted eggs but it seems silkies are more of a pet, They are very friendly even the rooster. Just wondering if I should go get the egg or what? thanks in advance and great site guys.
Justin Maine

Lissimore12 · 11-03-2009 05:49:13

Congrats!

do you have a roo? If not, the egg wont be fertile, therefore it will not hatch. And, from what i heard, even if it is fertile, it probably wouldnt hatch because first eggs always have flaws. If you do have a roo and want to hatch, i would wait a while before hatching, let her set into a laying schedule then go from that

Last edited by Lissimore12 (11-03-2009 05:50:35)

Warlord · 11-03-2009 06:30:18

I do have a Rooster, I only have him and one hen left.
But this is definatly her first egg. Just not sure if I should leave the egg in there or pull it out, Maybe in the spring I should figure out how to hatch them.

Lissimore12 · 11-03-2009 09:50:33

Well, if she just started laying I would take it out. I dont think she'd go broody yet.

Basia · 11-04-2009 06:57:00

Give her time to get into the mommy thing smile Trust me... the eggs are wonderful food and when she is ready to be a mommy... you will know! LOL just ask BantyChickMom. rotflol

Last edited by Basia (11-04-2009 06:57:49)

BantyChickMom · 11-04-2009 07:18:58

rotflol I know about that all too well!!! rotflol

Let her lay for about a month and take the eggs everyday, then leave the eggs and get them every other day but don't put them in the fridge. Store them in an egg carton and leave them on the counter.
With cooler temps they won't go bad if left outside for a day.

My experience has been that they will lay for about a month, then go broody. So if you want her to brood in the winter, follow the advice. smile

Warlord · 11-05-2009 09:12:01

Thank you for the advice, I will give it a shot.

BantyChickMom · 11-05-2009 03:59:47

After 10 days fertility drops drastically.

Keep the eggs for 10 days and if she's broody, put them under her. If she's not broody, take the oldest eggs out and replace with the new ones you get.
At no time do you want to throw them all out because THAT'S when she will go broody when you have no eggs to put under her. haha

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#1 11-03-2009 05:20:41

my first silky egg.

#2 11-03-2009 05:49:13

Re: my first silky egg.

#3 11-03-2009 06:30:18

Re: my first silky egg.

#4 11-03-2009 09:50:33

Re: my first silky egg.

#5 11-04-2009 06:57:00

Re: my first silky egg.

#6 11-04-2009 07:18:58

Re: my first silky egg.

#7 11-05-2009 09:12:01

Re: my first silky egg.

#8 11-05-2009 03:59:47

Re: my first silky egg.

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