No Eggs yet

[Anonymous]

Hi
i bought what i thought were3 hens , partridge silkie, white silkie and a marsh daisy,but this week found out that my white silkie is a cockeril.
They are approx 26 weeks and they seem happy and healthy. However they are not laying yet. Is this normal or am i doing something wrong. I thought that they should start laying at about 18/ 20 weeks.
I dont know if i should keep the cokeril as i live in a built up residential area, he only is crowing now and again, but i presume that is because is still immature and that it will get worse as he gets older.
I would need to rehome him somewhere but i guess that will be a bit of a difficult task.
Any help gratefully received on any of these subjects.

 

[podstable]

If you were sold your hens as girls (not as unsexed) I think any reasonable person would take the cockerel back and change for a hen which is what you paid for. I hope your girls get laying soon , when they decide to start depends on all sorts of other factors like time of year, breed , weather etc. so I wouldnt worry yet. My silkies are definately on the late side when they start to lay. --presuming no more are boys?! Ros :?

 

[Tim]

Yes, I would definately take the cockerel back - They should be coming into lay soon. Some breeds / strains take longer than others and there is always the possibility their age might have been a little exagerated when you bought them..?

Their combs / wattles will go very red when they come into lay.

Tim