History of the Silkie chicken
Silkies are believed to originate from Asia, including ancient China, Japan, Java, and India. The earliest Western account of Silkie chickens was from Marco Polo, who wrote about a “furry” chicken in the 13th century during his travels in Asia. In the mid-1800s, Silkie chickens made their way west, where they were recognized by the American Poultry Association Standard in 1874. Today they are a popular pet in many chicken flocks.
The personality of a Silkie chicken
The Silkie Bantam chickens are calm, friendly, easy to handle, and make great pets for kids. They often go broody and make excellent mothers. Silkie hens are known to adopt baby ducks if given a chance! Silkies are generally a quiet breed but can be known to be chatty companions – they make a perfect chicken for your first flock. Silkies love attention, cuddles, and bear confinement well; they are often kept as indoor house birds. The Silkie rooster is generally calm and docile as well. A Silkie rooster also makes an excellent rooster choice for someone just adding a rooster to their flock.
The Appearance of Silkie Chickens
Silkies are unique in appearance compared to other chicken breeds. Some notable features include black skin, blue ears, 5 toes (most chicken breeds have only 4 toes), feathered legs, and walnut combs. They also have crested head feathers, and some come with beards!
Silke chickens have black skin, bones, and darker-toned organs, although their blood is still red like other animals. This hyperpigmentation is caused by a genetic condition known as fibromelanosis; the wattles and combs can vary from mulberry to black in color. Silkies also have an extra toe on each foot due to a polydactyly gene. The extra 5th toe is located on the back of their leg, similar to a dewclaw on a dog. The Silkie rooster can weigh 2-4 lbs, and Silkie hens can weigh 1- 3 lbs. The Silkie chicken is always considered a bantam chicken, no matter its size, here in the US and Canada. In other countries, it is common for them to be separated into a bantam or large fowl category.
