Silkie questions about their Class..are they standard or bantam breed?

[emartin]

I have one book that says Silkies are both available in standard size with males up to 4lbs (similar with hens) and true bantam size with males up to 28oz... (Book is Choosing and Keeping Chickens by Chris Graham)

Then I have another book, Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds by Carol Ekarius, which says there is only one kind (member of the feather legged class) and those males get up to 36oz.

Anyone care to shed some light on this on which book is correct and if there really are standard silkies out there instead of just small bantams?

~Ed

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Well, it depends on where you live

In the US, we only have bantams; my understanding is that they are larger than the bantm silkies in other parts of the world and smaller than their large fowl silkies.

Our US silkies are one of the largest bantams--much larger than and OEGB or araucana. Think volleyball sized

Storey's Guide is correct for US silkies. I suspect that the Choosing and Keeping Chickens Book is written by an English or Australian author; both those countries have bantam and large fowl silkies.