black silkie rooster
Silkies are a common breed among backyard flocks, and personally one of my favorite breeds of chickens. With such unique features it's hard to overlook these wonderful birds. Let's dive deeper into silkies!
Breed orgin:
Silkies originate from ancient China, although other places in Southeast Asia, such as India and Java, have been thought of as possibilities. The earliest surviving Western written account of Silkies comes from explorer, Marco Polo, who wrote of a "furry" chicken in the 13th century during his travels in Asia.
Silkies most likely made their way west via the Silk Route and/or maritime trade. They were recognized in North America with acceptance into the Standard of Perfection in 1874. Once Silkies became more common in the West, many myths about them were started. Early breeders told buyers they were the offspring of chickens and rabbits, which is obviously not true.
Characteristics of the breed:
Silkies are known for their unique feathers, which lack barbicels, and are similar to down on other birds, this characteristic makes them unable to fly. Silkies also have 5 toes, feathered feet, black skin, darkly colored meat, and it is said that their blood is slightly darker then other breeds. They can be bearded or non-bearded. The standard of perfection calls for all Silkies to have a small walnut-shaped comb, dark wattles, and blue earlobes. Most North American strains of the breed are bantam, but in Europe the standard is the original version. The American Standard of Perfection calls for, the standard male weight for the bantam Silkie to be 1 kg (35 oz) and for the female, 900 g (32 oz).
Recognized varieties:
Silkies come in many recognized and unrecognized colors, recognized colors include: white, partridge, buff, black, blue, and splash.
Unrecognized colors include: lavender, cuckoo, silver partridge, paint, and many others.
Uses:
Silkies lay a fair amount of eggs, usually colored from white to cream or light tan, but production is often interrupted due to their tendency to go broody. A silkie hen can produce 100 eggs in an ideal year. Their broody tendencies is often used by chicken keepers to raise the offspring of other birds. Due to their small size they make poor meat birds. They are usually kept as pets or for exhibition.
Other information:
Due to there feather's poor ability to dry, it is important to keep they dry, preferably they should be housed in a covered run. It's also important to insure they don't become the victim of bullying in mixed flocks due to their appearance. They have a longer life expectancy then most breeds at 8-10 years ideally.
Closing:
I hope this article has helped you learn more about silkie chickens and happy chicken keeping!
