# Fertility?



## SilkieBoy (May 4, 2013)

Hello!
I have some silkies, one of my pullets has just started laying eggs, she has laid 3 eggs now since Thursday night, MY roaster is 7 months old, but I have never seen him mate any of my pullets? How will I know if these eggs are fertile? Since they are the first eggs, they are probably not, right?

The first eggs was small and the 2 eggs that she laid later are slightly bigger, but still small, 2/3 the size of a regular chicken egg. Will the eggs get I bigger with time, or is that it for a silkie?

Thanks


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Silkies lay a medium size egg. 

The males can also be slow to mature, I have one that didn't breed until he was nearly two. And they most of the time need to practice to get it right, so chances are those eggs are not fertile.

Have you seen him do the wing dance at all?


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## SilkieBoy (May 4, 2013)

Yes, he does the wing thing and he corrals his hens. He has also grabbed there neck feathers, but I have never seen him mount them! I took some pictures of the eggs broken open. Let me know if you think they are fertilized!


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## SilkieBoy (May 4, 2013)

*My egg.*

Please let me know if this thing is been fertilized.


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## SilkieBoy (May 4, 2013)

Here is another picture. You can see the white part on the yolk, located on the 
left bottom part.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

There's a bit too much glare to see it well. What you need to see is a bull's eye around that spot. 

He's working on it but chances are he isn't quite there yet.


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## SilkieBoy (May 4, 2013)

Anybody else? If you expend the photo you can clearly see the bull's eye on the yolk!


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## expertnewbie (Mar 11, 2013)

I stuck 5 of my silkies first eggs in my incubator and 2 of them r fertile. My rooster and hens are only 6 months old


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## SilkieBoy (May 4, 2013)

Thanks! From what I have read they look like they have bull's eyes on the yolks, all 3 did! I am assuming this means that they were all fertalized! At least my roaster is doing his job!!!

Are your silkies laying consistently?


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## expertnewbie (Mar 11, 2013)

Out of 3 hens I'm getting about 7 eggs a week


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## SilkieBoy (May 4, 2013)

I am getting 5 eggs a week from my one hen!! I guess I am lucky then!


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## nj2wv (Aug 27, 2013)

I saw the ring similar to a bullseye in the photo so I would say it is fertile. . Enjoy hatching them!!


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## SilkieBoy (May 4, 2013)

Sweet!!! How long can I store eggs, before incubatibg them? Dry hatch recommended for silkies???


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## SilkieBoy (May 4, 2013)

Bump!!! Anybody?? The oldest egg will be 12 days old when I place it in the incubator!! I hope it survives!!


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## nj2wv (Aug 27, 2013)

I don't know about silkie eggs but I have heard up to ten days and others say up to two weeks on standard eggs. I did four in five days and all but one hatched and I did thirty at fourteen days and only ten hatched. Not sure if if was that the eggs were too old or that the weather has been very cold. I have four that I collected in seven days that hatch on Sunday. I will let you know how it goes.


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## SilkieBoy (May 4, 2013)

Okay, thanks!!! We will see what happens!!!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Years ago I screwed up and shipped a really old egg to a buyer. I candled all of the eggs being shipped before packing and marked those that were the newest. This one old egg had to have been one of those that the hen buried in the shavings and I missed it whenever I collected eggs. Finally it came to the surface and I collected it. The air cell was humongous so obviously an old egg.

I get all done wrapping the eggs, packing the box, sealing it up and addressing it. All set for the PO. Then as I'm picking up the mess I realized the egg I had set aside was no where to be found. 

I contacted the buyer and let her know what I had done. Told her the unmarked egg was ancient. She set it any way and it hatched. Your eggs have been in a controlled environment and cared for. There is a chance that egg will still hatch if that egg I gave no chance for hatching hatched.


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## SilkieBoy (May 4, 2013)

Okay!!! We will see what happens!! I am setting them tonight!


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