Flock Insider: Silkie Chickens
- Rachelle Shepherd
- May 18, 2023
- 8 min read
Updated: Jul 23, 2023
Once believed to be part rabbit, part fowl, it is no wonder that they are everyone's favorite fluffy chicken!
Like the Cochin, the Silkie hails from the Chinese region and was beloved by the European poultry fanciers for their fluffy appearance and sweet personality. Some ancient Chinese text refer to fluffy chickens with black skin which may have been Silkies or their ancestors. Silkies first made their appearance in Europe around the time of Marco Polo between 1290-1300. There is dispute as to whether he actually brought the chickens himself, or whether he just heard stories about "a furry chicken." (The Happy Chicken)
In fact, when they first made their appearance, they were thought to be a cross of a rabbit and a chicken! Silkies headed to Europe by way of both the Silk Road and trade ships and made quite the impression in the poultry world.
They had "fur like a black cat," describes Italian Aldrovandi in his writings in 1598.
Indeed, they swept through Europe like a craze for their bunny-like appearance and character! Because what is sweeter than a well-mannered Silkie? Silkie feathers lack what is called "barbicles," which are the small hooks of the feather that holds it together making the feathers lay flat. This lack of barbicles on their feathers is what gives Silkies their "fluffy" appearance. They also help make the bird waterproof, so Silkies do not do well if they are soaked often... and in quite the contrast, there's not a more pathetic looking wet bird than a soaked Silkie!
Due to their widespread popularity, Silkies were quickly accepted into the American Poultry Association (APA) in 1874 and the British Poultry Standard of Perfection in 1865 (The Happy Chicken Coop).
Silkies are Weird...and We Like it!
Yes, Silkies are a weird breed, and thus they made it into the freakshows, circuses and sideshows all over the world during the early 1900s. It was quickly learned that although adorable and great mothers, Silkies are not great layers. If you get 120 eggs a year from one of your Silkie hens, count yourself lucky! They are small, white to cream colored eggs, but on the plus side, many Silkies do lay in the winter because all of their down and fluff keeps them quite cozy in the cold.
Next, they have black skin and five toes, both of which are very rare characteristics. Silkies join a small group of chickens including the well-known Ayam Cemani and lesser known Svarthona who are black-skinned breeds. The black skin is thought to have medicinal properties and are used in many Asian medicines, so they are quite popular out there still. Ayam Cemanis are said to have black skin, bones and organs as well as their tongue which is a common way to check if they are show worthy. It should be well noted that simply because your Ayam does not have an all black tongue does not mean they are not purebred, they are just not show-worthy.
They are part of an even smaller flock of breeds that have five toes including: Favorelle, Houden, Sultan, Dorking and Silkie. This extra toe branches off of the highest toe to the base of the foot and should not lie straight with the other toes, but rather point outward its own way. If the extra toe goes straight with the other toes, this is called "duck foot" and is a disqualification that many breeders will throw out of their programs entirely or cull.
We cannot understate their "fur" which is satin-like in texture due to the lack of barbicles on their feathers. Although all chicken feathers are beautiful and feel very lovely, Silkies are puffy, fluffy, soft and furry-like! Because their feathers are so unique, they do need a bit of extra care. As you can see on our boy, Mr. Man (above), they do need their feet washed if it is muddy or rainy out. Mr. Man can be very difficult to bathe, but we try to wash his feet with warm water every couple of days to avoid any issues related to his feet staying wet and cold. We did not raise Mr. Man as a chick, so he is less trusting of us than others. I suggest washing your Silkies feet regularly beginning as a chick even if they do not necessarily need it, just so they get used to doing so.
Have you noticed their fat heads? No, seriously! Many of them have a dome on the top of their head that creates an extra "poof" of fluff over their heads. This looks lovely, but not everyone likes breeding this feature in because there has been conflicting messages about chicks with vaulted skulls. One thing that is an issue is that they are easier targets for older chickens when you are trying to blend flocks or introduce new chicks to it. If they peck their heads too much in the domed spot, it can potentially kill the chick.
Blue ear lobes - now that is a pretty characteristic of them that I love! If you have a purebred Silkie, expect for them to have large, blue ear lobes at adulthood. It is quite pretty and charming! Especially coupled with the burgundy colored walnut comb that they are supposed to show if they are purebred. Roosters grow quite large combs that can sometimes be black, but usually become a beautiful, deep burgundy. Hens will have small, walnut combs that do not hardly show around their bangs.
Finally, you will quickly notice their true bantam size. Although the UK and other parts of the world actually have a standard size Silkie (American Silkie bantam size) and a bantam size (much smaller, weighing under a pound!), America only has one size which we refer to as bantam. Silkie roosters grow to be about four pounds and hens will top at about three.
Even though there are some smaller breeds than the Silkie (Seabright and a couple others), Silkies are one of the smallest breeds around and generally end up being the smallest in a mixed backyard flock. They are little guys even when fully grown, so much so that many people who live in apartments choose to keep a silkie or two as pets! Try telling that to your landlord...
Color Selections
Many chicken breeds come in a variety of colors, but the silkie does include a bearded or non-bearded variety as well. They also have a fairly large selection of APA accepted colors already if you would like to get into breeding or showing. If you are into the rarer colors, silkies are one of the top breeds that poultry enthusiasts choose to play around with color patterns and invent their own color varieties. Below is a list of APA accepted Silkie colors:
Bearded Black
Non-Bearded Black
Bearded Buff
Non-Bearded Buff
Bearded Blue
Non-Bearded Blue
Bearded Gray
Non-Bearded Gray
Bearded Partridge
Non-Bearded Partridge
Bearded Self-Blue
Bearded Splash
Bearded White
Non-Bearded White
I have also seen Cuckoo, Chocolate, Mauve, Lavendar/Lilac, Lemon Blue, Red and much more!
Gimmicks and Quirks of Living with Your New Bestie!
There really is a lot to learn about Silkie chickens, being that they are a bit of a special breed. As mentioned above, care needs to be taken to their feathered feet in wet weather. They also have a "poof" on top of their heads that can cause bangs of sorts in their eyes, which impedes their vision making them a target for predators. If you combine that with the fact that, like the Cochin, they are bottom heavy, have short wings and they have special feathering, it makes their ability to even coast about zero. They cannot jump at all either.
Basically, if you want to keep Silkies, you need to really make sure their coop is even more predator-proof more than most other breeds because they have a lot of disadvantages to getting away. They really do not seem to mind being cooped up though as opposed to free ranging. Silkies are one of the few breeds who do quite well in small confinement. Some people even keep Silkies in apartments as pets!
It is not uncommon for Silkies to be kept as house pets, but fair warning: this is advised against for numerous health reasons. Again, do your own research. Many people do keep them as house pets though in various setups. Just be sure to keep them very clean!
Silkies love attention and many become very affectionate with their caregivers. Some people bathe them often, blow dry them, fix their feathers in different "hair styles," dye them different colors, dress them up, put them in tutus, put ribbons in their feathers and so much more! If you handle your Silkie often enough, they will be as tame as a puppy!
Silkies actually do quite well in the winter time as far as staying warm if they have a nice chicken house and a few other flock members to cuddle up with. Because they are cold weather hardy birds, many of them do lay in the winter, though Silkies don't lay much anyways!
If you need anything hatched or cared for, stick it under your Silkie hen! They are a sucker for an adorable egg or an orphaned duck! Silkies love to care for babies and do very well at hatching their own eggs, which makes it nice if you are trying to start a flock or would like to sell chicks or fertilized eggs. Even roosters will take to chicks and help tend to and care for them! They will raise anything you give them - from chickens to ducks to quail!
Did you know that they have black meat? Because of this, they are valued for various Asian medicines because it is believed that they have sacred properties due to their black skin. Some religions even use other black skinned chickens called Ayam Cemanis in religious practices! Silkies have value for many reasons.
Another plus is that Silkies stay very small, which is again good for those who want to keep them as pets. They have very feathered feet that allow them to graze the ground and vegetation without causing much harm or uprooting the plants. This makes them very good helpers in the garden!
They may not be the brightest in the bunch, be it due to their funky hairdos so they can't see well or just because they are silly. Silkies just aren't the smartest chickens! They do have funny sounds and looks though. They each have very individual personalities and will develop different vocal tones to communicate with you.
If you want a quiet chicken, Silkies are also a good choice! Even the roosters aren't always very noisy, though Mr. Man would like to challenge that theory... For the most part, they make funny chuckling and clucking noises and talk in different tones. We even had one rooster who we never caught crowing!
Because of their tiny size, they do need extra vitamins so make sure you put them on Electrolytes and Chick Starter as soon as you bring them home. They should stay on the chick starter longer than standard sized breeds who can transfer to regular feed by 6 weeks. I keep my Silkies on Chick Start for about 8-10 weeks, depending on the size of the chick itself.
I have had varying sizes of Silkies at the same ages, it seems like one always becomes a runt and stays small until they grow up! They also take longer to grow up - about eight to twelve months, literally depending upon your line itself. Most other breeds are full grown by four to six months. They also begin laying eggs later and lay far less, which is not a bonus, unfortunately.
Silkies in Summary
If you want a silly, fuzzy chicken that stays small and quiet, but you don't really need that many eggs, the Silkies might be for you! Or if you are looking for a garden buddy to help get bad bugs out of your garden and help you keep it clean and pest free but won't make a big mess themselves, the Silkie might also be for you! Silkies have lots of weird qualities about them - black skin, barbless feathers, a puffy appearance, domed heads, five toes, blue ear lobes, and they are short and stubby! They definitely appear "exotic" and different to people who are not familiar with poultry or the breeds. Silkies also love attention and they like to show affection to. They often think of you as a flock member and grow quite attached to their keepers. Silkies are very sweet and loving if handled and loved on often. They make great children's pets, do well in small environments and have been known to stay in apartments successfully, are quiet and clean. Silkies make amazing pets!
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References
American Poultry Association (2023) Breeds & Varieties, American Poultry Association, https://amerpoultryassn.com/accepted-breeds-varieties/
Andrews, C. (2012-2023) Silkie Chickens: Facts, Raising and Care - A Complete Guide, Raising Happy Chickens with Cath Andrews, https://www.raising-happy-chickens.com/silkie-chickens.html
Smith, K. (September 1, 2020) Silkie Chickens: A Comprehensive Guide, Backyard Chicken Coops, https://www.backyardchickencoops.com.au/blogs/learning-centre/silkies-a-comprehensive-guide
The Happy Chicken Coop (March 9, 2021) The Ultimate Guide on the Silkie Chicken, The Happy Chicken Coop, https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/silkie-chicken/
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