Information on Silkies

Silkie chickens are one of the most unusual chickens most people will ever see. Silkies, which originated in Asia, have a vast quantity of silky feathers, lending the breed its name. They are a popular pet chicken, both for their exotic appearance and their friendly demeanors. Even if not kept as pets, they can still provide their owners with eggs.

  1. Appearance

    • Silkie chickens are one of the most distinguishable varieties of the species. Even young chicks have the soft, puffy fur which is the hallmark of the breed. They have dark-colored crests, and can either have large wattles (nonbearded varieties) or small wattles with a large quantity of feathers near the face (bearded varieties). They come in a wide variety of colors, though their original color is white. They have feathers on their legs.

    Differences

    • There are several differences between silkies and other types of chickens. Foremost is the color of the skin and even bones: both are black. This makes them coveted medicinally in China, but avoided (as food) in the Western world. Unlike most kinds of chickens, Silkies have five toes. Normally, chickens only have four. This does not affect their movement at all. The other noticeable difference is, of course, the silkies' feathers, which prohibit them from flying.

    Demeanor

    • One of the reasons the silkie makes such a wonderful pet is its sweet disposition. Silkies are very people-friendly and, if they hatch other birds, they raise those chicks to be better disposed toward humans. They are tame and even-tempered. Some people are even able to keep them as house pets.

    Brooding

    • Silkie chickens are extremely broody̵2;this means that they're always on the lookout to hatch eggs. While this does affect their egg production, they can still be used as egg producers on a small scale. They are the universal mother of the poultry world, and are willing to hatch any eggs, even if they aren't their own, or even if they're not chickens. Many people use silkies to hatch the chicks of less willing fowl.

    Care

    • Silkies are slightly more delicate than some other breeds of chicken. Lice are sometimes a problem with this breed, and owners will usually watch out for this in the warmer months. Silkies are small compared to many other breeds, and therefore have a hard time eating regular commercial chicken feed. Usually owners will provide chick food instead, and this works well.