The eyes are black. When looked after, and that also means keeping them clean and dry, they can live around 9 years old. Silkie chicken is very calm, trusting and friendly. The content on this blog is not a substitute for veterinary advice. It has an interesting crest. The Silkie's comb is different from most other chickens in that it resembles a wart-like lump on its forehead, rather than the spiky one that most chickens sport. Review characteristics, behavior, temperament and full breed profile of Silkie chicken below. The breed has many unusual qualities like black skin and bones, blue earlobes, and five toes on each foot, whereas most chickens only have four. Their eggs are creamy in color and size of eggs is small-sized to medium sized. Standard Silkie roosters weight about 1.8 kg and hens about 1.36 kg. They seem to enjoy plenty of attention and become rather tame. Fish 10 silkies in the incubator and 21 sizzles in the incubator. The breed is thought be originated in China, India or Japan. Bearded and non-bearded Silkies have a feathery crest, or topknot, on the top of their head. They can lay anything between 100-120 eggs a year, but they can also stop laying eggs altogether during summer time. About | Contact They are very cold hardy and also do well in confinement. The Silkie chicken appears in two distinct varieties. With their fluffy feathers, they can also be vulnerable to lice and mites to you need to pay attention to the health of these gorgeous birds. Before you decide on buying Silkies, get acquainted with their characteristics and needs, so you know what to expect to avoid disappointment. While their fur-like feathers are different from other … Is The Silkie Chicken Right Choice For You? They are also known to be susceptible to a disease called Marek’s Disease. The Silkie chicken should be kept in dry conditions, because their feathers are not waterproof. The Silkie has 5 toes compared to most other breeds which only have 4. Disclaimer Silkie chicken has very light in weight but it is a good layer. Their primary characteristic is their Silkie feathers, which look more like fur than like … Silkies are one of the smallest breeds of chicken. And they are kept for both ornamental and exhibition purpose. All your characteristics are exactly on point, even the beaks. Silkie chicken was first admitted into the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection in 1874. A standard Silkie will weigh as little as three to four pounds, with the males being the heavier. The general characteristics of the male Silkie: Carriage: Stylish, compact and lively. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It is a very old Asiatic chicken breed. Marco Polo, the explorer commented about a “furry chicken” he had seen on his travels, and it is thought this was the Silkie. Turkey, About Us Other chicken breeds also have crests. White Silkies are a striking combination of black skin and fluffy white feathers, set off with a deep mulberry comb and wattles. Then there are the bantams, which are miniature versions, they weigh around 2-2.2 lbs. Some of the Silkie breeds have a skull which arches upward, making the crest look more prominent. Silkie bantam chickens are not considered good layers as they tend to be broody, wanting to set on the bantam silkie chicken eggs instead. Silkies also have dark blue/black skin, meat, and bones. Related Topic – 69 DIY Chicken Coop Plans and Ideas – Easy to Build (100% Free). They also have quite dense ‘under fluff’, and sometimes the tiny chicks get caught up in this which sometimes results in fatalities. Required fields are marked *. You get the non-bearded variety and the bearded variety. They are a lightweight chicken with a broad, stout looking body which is covered in fine fluffy feathers. I have 3 Silkies, all 6 months old (2 roos and one pullet). If a comb is present, it should look like a ‘walnut’, being almost circular in appearance. Pigeon Let’s Go …. The Beautiful Silkie Bantams. The Silkie is … They have turquoise blue earlobes and dark wattles. The comb coloring should be black or dark mulberry – any other color and it is not a pure Silkie.They have oval shaped turquoise blue earlobes and dark colored wattles. Their plumage appears like down or fur rather than feathers. Chickens do have various sizes and shapes, not only in different breeds, but also in the same breed as well. White, Black, Partridge, Buff, Grey and Blue are the colors of Silkie chicken recognized for competitive showing. And it is currently one of the most entertaining birds to watch. It can affect all chicken breeds though. And the bantam Silkie chicken is actually a separate variety. American Standard of Perfection calls for roosters that are 1 kg, and hens that are 0.907 kg. They also have a comb (a fleshy area on top of head). Since silkies are docile, it may be possible to keep more than 1 male bird with the flock. However, being so popular, they made their way to other countries too, such as Europe and North America. According to the British Standard, the roosters weight 0.6 kg and hens 0.5 kg. It is a charming and beguiling fluffy bundle and comes in standard and bantam sizes. Silkie chickens are a bantam breed that is believed to have originated in ancient China. When a bird preens, it is clicking the tiny barbicels together, so their feathers stay in … Despite some having a much larger appearance with all those fluffy feathers, there isn’t a lot underneath. Silkies have an ancient history of which their exact origin is unknown.One point in their origin that is well documented is Ancient China as such the birds were once known as Chinese Silk Chicken.Marco Polo wrote of a “furry chicken” he encountered during his travels to Asia in the 13th Century. The Silkie's characteristic 'silky' feathers look that way because they don't have the 'barbs' other chickens do. They're the lap kitty of the chicken world, complete with hair-like plumage and an incredibly sweet temperament. No one is 100% about the Silkies’ origins, although it is believed they started somewhere in China or India; somewhere in Asia. Goat Many people want to keep them as pets because they have such sweet personalities and they look so striking and cute. Silkies are one of the best broody birds in the chicken world. Some poultry fanciers consider Silkie hens as the ideal organic incubator. Deer They arrived in Europe around 200 years ago, and reached the United Kingdom around the mid 1880s. In fact, if you didn’t know better, it would appear as if the chicken has fur. What makes Silkie chickens have such distinct feathers is that these feathers don’t have barbicels. Good information. If you’re going to keep silkies with other chickens, go for Polish chickens or bantams. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The British Poultry Standard and Australian Poultry Standard call for much smaller bantam Silkies. Hi, this is Pauline G. Carter. Black, White, Grey, Blue, Splash, Buff, Partridge are the standard colors with many off standard & derivative colors in existence today. 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Silkie chickens have feather that’s a little like fur. Silkie chicken is one of the most popular and beloved ornamental chicken breeds. Blog | Facebook. Can't you tell why? Now they are to be found all over the world. This breed is quite different in look. Silkie Chickens (often spelled Silky) is the chicken breed called for its unusually fluffy plumage that is said to believe like satin or silk. DIY Chicken Feeder And Waterer The feathers on this particular chicken breed are incredibly fluffy. January 4, 2020 June 27, 2019 by Nirmal. Many people want to keep them as pets because they have such sweet personalities and they look so striking and cute. The pros and cons of the Silkie Chicken …, Related Topic – 15 Most Common Chicken Diseases, Symptoms and Treatment, Your email address will not be published. Silkie Bantams are some of the most charming and beguiling oddities of the Poultry Fancy. Silkie chickens also have beautiful, soft, fluffy feathers which are unlike those of other hard-feathered poultry. Which are Bearded and Not-Bearded. The hens stop laying eggs during the summer months. Is The Silkie Chicken Right Choice For You? Its soft, fluffy plumage is like silk to touch. It also means the feathers aren’t waterproof, so when the bird is wet, it looks like it’s waterlogged. Description. However, nevertheless, the origin of the Silkie is not sufficiently ascertained. Silkies are most certainly different in many ways to a ‘regular’ chicken appearance!The head should be crested, looking somewhat like a ‘pom-pom’ (similar to a polish chicken). Silkie Feathers. A Frame Chicken Coop Plans The boys make good pets and will look after their ladies well. You can purchase Silkie chickens that are bearded or non-bearded. The breed is extremely suitable as pets, especially suitable for children. If you are keeping Silkie chickens for poultry shows or breeding purposes, your birds must have these traits in order to qualify. Silkies tend to be docile chickens, which means that other breeds can sometimes bully them. In fact, many game bird breeders will commonly use Silkies to naturally incubate eggs from birds such as quails and pheasants. According to the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection, all the Silkie chickens have small walnut comb which is a deep mulberry approaching black. Privacy Policy The fluff around their tails also might need trimming for breeding and hygiene purposes. Pallet Chicken Coop Plans Affiliate Disclaimers | Privacy The Silkie is a breed of chicken named for its cute manner and fluffy plumage that feels like silk or satin. Don’t get them if you want them for eggs or meat. Because of their such plumage, they are unable to fly. The roosters typically weigh in at just 3 lbs when fully grown. Without them, the feathers stick up. When building a flock, learning about different breeds, their laying and brooding habits, and distinct characteristics and personalities is essential for choosing the right chickens for your backyard coop. A popular and unique breed, the Silkie is instantly recognisable by its pompom, fifth toe, black skin and profuse fluffy plumage, caused by an absence of barbs on the feathers which prevents them from knitting together. Silkie chicken and pork rib soups prepared by four-stage stewing technique had particle size smaller than 850 nm, smaller chromatic aberration, higher stability, higher levels of free amino acids, lower levels of fat and total triglycerides than the other two techniques. In the USA the Silkie is classified as a bantam breed, and these can weigh in only at around 18 ounces. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); PoultryCareSunday.com does not intend to provide veterinary advice. Because they are docile, they can get bullied by other chickens. Sometimes the feathering on a Silkie’s head is so profuse that it’s difficult to see its face. So they are frequently used as foster mothers for other birds. And their comb looks like a … The Silkie is a delicate bird to sex, and this is difficult to determine until they are around 6 months old already. Tiny, but super cute! Terms Of Sevice Because, their plumage lacks barbicels. And Australian Poultry Standard weight for bantam Silkies is 0.68 kg for roosters and 0.57 kg for hens. Subscribe ROY'S FARM newsletter for news, updates and receiving notifications of new posts by email. When one thinks of the Silkie Chickens, one thinks of soft silky, fluffy hair – its lovely plumage. Hens … Original Silkies were standard sized, shown more in the UK. It is among the most docile of poultry. I love poultry like pets or other animals, love talking about them; the real-life experience is always surprising! Chicken Varieties. That is just another interesting observation about these unique birds! 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