# When will my chickens lay eggs?



## Kokoschicks

I have 2 silkie hens and their almost 7 months old and haven't layed eggs. How long until they will. I have a silkie rooster also.


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## rob

im still waiting for my silkie to lay her first she is 21 weeks old


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## kejmack

Mine generally start laying between 6 and 8 months. Make sure they are getting a lot to eat and plenty of fresh water.


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## Sundancers

I agree with kejmack ...

Plenty of food & water, also I would go on and put the golf ball or wooden egg in the nest box.


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## Kokoschicks

Okay! Thankyou! And what is the best way to keep them warm in the winter?


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## Sundancers

What kind of winter are we talking about ??? Your winter may be very different from mine ... general area ???


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## Kokoschicks

Western mass winter


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## Energyvet

Feathers are the warmest type of insulation. Besides that gradually introducing colder temps so they can adjust. And keep them dry and away from wind. Also may need more calories as they will have heat making metabolic needs as well as normal maintenance requirements.


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## Kokoschicks

Awesome! Thanks. Yeah im new at this so if there's any starter tips you could share with me then that would be great.


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## Energyvet

Best advice is to just keep coming back and asking questions. No stupid questions. We are all learning here - or at least we should all be learning from each other. Glad to have you aboard and I'm looking forward to watching your story unfold.


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## Kokoschicks

Sweet yeah I hear Yaa thanks


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## redmaples

just close any windows on your coupe. I Drilled 1 inch holes along the top of my coupe to let in fresh air and also a small screened gable vents to allow for fresh air without the wind. if you have a floor start the winter with a nice thin layer of pine shavings and slowly add more as the winter goes on as it will freeze as hard as a rock as it absorbs moisture. you won't get it out until spring!!! I also put a light in the coupe with a timer 12 hrs on 12hrs off. and I have a water heater there are several types you can pick the one that suits you best. I live in southern NH so my winters are similiar to yours


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## Kokoschicks

Awesome those are very good suggestions. And does anyone know of any doors or flaps that I can use for the winter to keep the wind out and keep them warm. Cuz I don't have a door and they just go in at night and out in the morning by themselves. Cuz im not there every night to let them up in and out in the morning .... any suggestions?


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## Kokoschicks

This is my coop


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## Energyvet

I know they have automatic doors available. At the moment your poultry are kinda "sitting ducks" for any predators. I'd definately look into some kind of door and protection from above. Just my viewpoint.


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## Kokoschicks

Oh yeah definitely sitting ducks! But lucky nothing has bothered them yet and I've had them for a few months! But I gotta find something cuz I don't wanna spend$150-$200 on an automatic door...


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## Sundancers

You can make a wooden door, which is what I did ... add a latch and hook and you are up town. (Nice looking coop you have.)


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## Kokoschicks

Thank) but im looking at something to open by itself ....


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## Energyvet

I was just going to add that a wooden door won't solve your problem. Think you might have to bite the bullet and look into automatic.


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## TinyHouse

Here's one that you might be able to make yourself if you are handy at all:

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/automatic-pop-hole-opener


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## Sundancers

Kokoschicks said:


> Thank) but im looking at something to open by itself ....


LOL ...

Good luck.


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## cogburn

That would be easy to put a top on.. You can "sew" chicken wire, I make turtle traps, fish traps, snake traps.. Cages/Coops with wire over lap, I use really thin wire, double it and bend a long hook on the wire and unspool a bunch if wore from roll, cut it so ends are loose. Duct tape pointy loose ends, they tend to fly and poke.. Anyhow.. Take the end that's folded doble and thats the needle. Start weaving in and out the wire.. Stop each 2 ft and pull tight, and twist it a couple times tight, you'll see it will fold into other holes, just bend and twist with pliers, and fingers.. W gloves.. And if there are trees, or existing structure you can run "tie wire" just bailin wire but sold in little spools at TSC Atwoods lowes.. Ya know. But anchor if you can pull really tight. And tie off.. Use it as a frame... Tie long drops and tie off to top and tie it tight.. Wire is strong and easy to use, and repairable really easy and cheap.. 

Here's my chick fly pen.. When they get big enough to fly out, then they free range and are strong !
It makes a difference. Excercise your chickens.. It increases there odds tremendously. 

A little more COWBELL !!!

Cogburn


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## Kokoschicks

Yeah looks like a good idea before winter! Im gonna have to look into this before it gets really cold out!!!!


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## cogburn

Sorry my phone was acting up yesterday and I couldn't post pics.. Let's try this again. It's a pause error? Maybe it's not my phone.? Sorry won't let me post pics.. I'll try again later.


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## Kokoschicks

Yeah that looks good! How high do you have the wire? Is it high enough to stand under?


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## cogburn

This is 4 ft along the sides, I'm not finished yet. You can walk under it and the top rises, it lays on taught wire from side to side but from inside it floats loosely, so if you have to enter the flypen bend slightly and walk in, once I'm in I can stand, when I add the last piece to the roof, there's enough slack to stand a ridge pole 6' tall in the center, much like a batting cage. Only smaller.


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## Kokoschicks

Awesome!!! Yeah ill prolly do something like that to keep them safe from predators!


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## Sundancers

Glad you found something to go with ... the only other thing that came to mind was a pet door. lol


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## TinyHouse

There are a lot of plans out there for automatic doors that you can make yourself that don't cost a fortune. I just did a search on DIY automatic chicken doors and got all kinds of ideas. It's very possible to set up a door that opens and closes by itself without breaking the bank. 

I agree though that you need some sort of protection over the top of your run and cog's solution is probably your best bet.


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## Kokoschicks

Thanks. Yeah I'll have do do something soon. Because I'm sure animals will be looking for food more often in the winter months.


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## Kokoschicks

rob said:


> im still waiting for my silkie to lay her first she is 21 weeks old


Did your silkie ever lay yet?


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## Kokoschicks

My silkie finally layed an egg )


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## Karolina

I have a 6.5 month old Barred Rock and she is still not laying. Is that normal? Her white Australorp friend of same age started 3 weeks ago.


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## amandahalterman

Karolina said:


> I have a 6.5 month old Barred Rock and she is still not laying. Is that normal? Her white Australorp friend of same age started 3 weeks ago.


My barred rock started between 7 and 8 mths and I'm still not def if she's laying


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