Black Silkie Chicken Information

Silkies, originally from China or Southeast Asia, are one of the most unique breeds of fancy or ornamental chickens. They come in a variety of colors with black one of the more common, original colors. The color black is recognized by both the American Poultry Association and the American Bantam Association, allowing black silkie chickens to compete in the Featherleg Bantam class at poultry shows. Unlike other breeds of poultry, silkies are born with the color they will have into adulthood.

  1. Feathering

    • Silkies, unlike other breeds of fowl and poultry, do not possess regular feathers. The feathers of a silkie are soft and have a furlike quality. Instead of the sleek look most poultry have, they are fluffy and retain the look of a fuzzy chick all their life. Their feathers not only cover their body but also travel down the outside of each leg and down the middle toe of each foot. Silkies also have topknots, or crests, on top of their head. Some also have a tuft of silky feathers below their beak, giving them a bearded appearance.

    Skin Coloring

    • The skin and bones of a silkie are so dark blue that they appear almost black, making them unappealing for most people as a meat bird. Silkies also have turquoise ear lobes whatever the color of their feathers.

    Toes

    • Most breeds of poultry have four toes, with a few exceptions. Three extend from the front of the foot and one from the back. Silkies, however, have one extra toe on the front of each foot.

    Egg Production

    • Because black silkies are a member of the bantam family, making them a rather small chicken, their eggs are not large. They range in the small to medium size and can vary in color from white to light brown. While the breed is not known for its egg production, silkie hens are notoriously broody and will sit on eggs belonging to another hen until they hatch. Many poultry and game fowl breeders prefer to keep silkie hens rather than an incubator because of their strong maternal instinct.

    Temperament

    • Silkies are known for their docile nature and are frequently used as 4-H projects for children. Their even-tempered manner applies to both hens and roosters, while in other breeds roosters tend to be more aggressive.

    Size

    • Silkies are classified as a bantam breed and are not as large as a standard chicken. A mature silkie hen weighs only about 32 oz. and a mature silkie rooster about 36 oz.