If you want to care for silkie chickens, keep them in a coop with wire mesh that has holes no larger than 0.5 inches so predators can't get in. These are two very strange traits that they share with a few other chicken breeds, the Ayam Cemani among them. Answer: It depends on the breed. Commonly, Silkies work best as decorative chickens and show birds. Answer: Most silkie chickens live 7-9 years, but they sometimes live longer with extra care. ► These birds make good backyard pets, and require no special care. I laugh every time I see it. Characteristics Of The Silkie Chicken Silkies are unlike other chicken breeds in that their skin is a dark blue-black color. ► Among their other ‘unusual’ traits are black skin, flesh, and bones, along with turquoise-blue earlobes. Silkies are also well known for their skin – while most other chicken breeds (such as Speckled Sussex and Araucana chickens) have white skin, Silkies have black or even blue skin. The silkie chicken’s leg and feet feathers can easily become waterlogged so they do not swim either. Some people can look at the wing feathers in newborn chicks and … ► The two distinct varieties of silkies include bearded and non-bearded. … I just bought 2 silkies, at least I was told they are silkies. Make a judgement about the breeder. I can’t even imagine our one pound bird raising a bunch of turkeys. Silkie feathers… Unusual Look – Silkies chickens are most known by their dramatic look. Because their feathers don’t have the barbs to keep them together, their wings will not hold air. Silkie chicken is a very unique looking and beautiful bird. The Silkie chicken is one of the most popular chicken breeds today. ... Home / Baby Chicks / Bantam chickens / Silkie Bantam Special. Some Interesting Facts About Silkie Chickens Silkie chickens are one of the more interesting breeds. Nevertheless, these birds are also called Chinese silk chicken, which more or less settles the debate about its place of origin. Their primary characteristic is their Silkie feathers, which look more like fur than like … Silkie Chickens are yet another breed that we have Asia to thank for, with the most notable early documentation of them being from ancient China, with some contribution from Java and India. Don’t let the the Silkies’ outlandish appearance bamboozle you, because their small cream-shell eggs are perfectly suitable for consumption and will actually taste identical to regular … Recent Posts. Their plumage looks like fur or down instead of feathers. Silkie chickens are one of the most charming and sweet natured breeds you will come across- we are yet to meet a silkie we haven’t fallen completely in love with! But they end up in time out. In China, where Silkies were first bred, women eat these birds after giving birth to get their strength back. Skip to navigation Skip to content. They have legs on nearly all the segments of the body, except the head. Unfortunately they can also have some trouble seeing in their peripherals which means that they can be in danger when it comes to predators. ► This breed is believed to have originated in China, although it is not known when. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Silkie feathers: The feathers are perhaps the most noticeable characteristic of the Silkie, being soft … Such a sight must be extraordinary. Here are 7 features that make Silkies different from other chicken breeds. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. They also have good maternal instincts, willing to sit on other birds’ eggs, even turkeys. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. When do you move them from a growing food to a layer food? Some have even seen it happen! Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | About ImaginAcres. We have had several nice silkie roosters but have heard from others that silkies can be mean. Some of the negatives of this breed are their broodiness when laying eggs and the fact that sometimes they need a little more care than other breeds of chickens. I have silkies and can attest to all your facts( except eating them:) but found the bunny comment funny as I have had two bunnies in the coop with my gang and they get along great! ImaginAcres is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. If someone told me this was a bird mixed with a bunny, I would totally fall for that. I am wondering if silkies and normal brown chickens mix / get on well ? Their feathers are soft and resemble fur. Because of these qualities, they are also the most recommended chicken breed for children. Jul 6, 2019 - Explore Dwyllis Harrison's board "Silkie Chickens", followed by 624 people on Pinterest. Instead each individual Silkie feather flutters and flies around her like a walking feather duster. During his travels in Asia dating as far back as the 13th century, even Marco Polo tells stories of his sightings of oddly furred chickens. ), but they have some unique characteristics. Silkie chickens certainly don’t look like your average chicken due to their lack of feathers. Whenever another chicken chases her she does this hysterical hop sprint while flapping her wings and trying to stay upright. Silkie chickens are believed to have originated from China. It wouldn’t be fair to give them to someone else as they’ll just continue the attacking elsewhere. Silkies’ feathers don’t have barbs – The reason they’re so fluffy is that their feathers don’t have barbs. Owing to the absence of barbicels, the feather strands tend to fly free causing the appearance of fur. Help. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. As for your question, at 20 weeks they’re ready for layer feed right now, although they may scoff at it at first. Silkies are incredibly strange birds. This … ► Silkies seemed to have traveled to Europe, having made the journey with traders using the Silk Route. Thanks for sharing, I’m looking forward to reading more. If you want chickens true to the breed, look out for the characteristics described above in the flock of the person you're buying from. Bearded and non-bearded Silkies have a feathery crest, or topknot, on the top of their head. Besides, silkies have a very calm and docile temperament, which makes them perfect to keep even around children. Our 4 children just sit in their coop and talk to them after school. I’d probably pay good money for one too. Silk, one of the most exotic fabrics is created by silkworms. We have 2 and a half acres so they all but the females get full range. We thought something was wrong with our Silkie rooster when we noticed his ears were turning blue. Beneath all the soft, fluffy exterior, you may be … “How creepy!” we thought. Silkie chickens have several unique genetic and behavioral traits that make them stand out from other chicken breeds. Silkies are one of the best broody birds in the chicken world. Some breeds of chickens are sex-link, which means the males and females look different from birth. They are often exhibited in poultry shows, and appear in various colors. The Look of the Silkie Chicken. There are birds ... and then there are chickens, and among these are the silkie chickens. Another unique feature of these birds is the fact they have black skin. You are right, they are strange, awkward, and hilarious animals, and our flock would not be complete without them! Baby Silkie Chicks Online at Cackle Hatchery® - Order our Silkie Bantam Chicken Hatchery Special for the Best Assortment of Silkie Bantam Baby Chicks available. Silkie Chickens are one of the most popular breeds of chicken of all time. Bearded Silkies have an additional group of feathers under their beak, which covers their earlobes. The two distinct varieties of silkies include bearded and non-bearded. In addition to their distinctive physical characteristics, Silkies are well known for their calm, friendly temperament. The silkie chicken’s soft-as-silk plumage is probably its most outstanding feature―but this is just until you get to know them better. I love how gentle & docile they are. Thankyou for you lovely website, very informative. ► Silkies are mistaken to be bantams (small poultry breed), but bantam silkie is actually a different breed, which is visibly smaller than the original. Ok, that was great. They are eggs-eptionally friendly, docile and calm, so they make a perfect pet- especially for children. In fact, they were bright turquoise! Bearded silkies have an extra tuft of feathers under the beak, covering the earlobes. They are just mean and all attack at any time. Bearded silkies have an extra tuft of feathers under the beak, covering the earlobes. We hope you enjoy this website. But the Silkie has a much darker purpose, and I mean this quite literally. There are a lot of chickens out there described as a specific breed when they're actually a hybrid. They will proudly raise the babies of uninterested flock mates. Although the word 'Millipede' means 'thousand feet', these creatures have around hundred feet. Under their fur, silky are black. I’m so glad you like it, thanks for the compliment and thanks for reading! But behind that alien look, they can still give eggs and delicious meat to the people. The overall BEST breed on my farm:). They look more like bunnies with chicken legs. I don’t even know if you could call them birds. Full disclosure policy here. Silkie Chicken Informational Facts Learning about Silkie Chickens: History, Appearance, Characteristics, Egg Laying, Temperament, Size. Silkie chickens are famous for their tendency to go broody. Experts are of the opinion that its place of origin could have even been either India or Java. In fact, although many breeders have selectively bred this broodiness out of other chicken breeds in order to maximize egg production, Silkies have been raised exclusively for this characteristic. What to Do When Your Vegetable Garden Fails ». We’ve found that roosters are not easily trainable. Because Silkies are excellent mothers, they are often raised to rear the offspring of other birds, including ducks, geese, and other chicken breeds. See more ideas about silkie chickens, chickens, silkies. Would you like to write for us? Love this blog post! Their docile temperament makes them a soft target for other bullying birds, when kept in mixed flocks. Because they can’t see animals coming out of this blind spot it makes them … ► Silkies also owe a bit of their fame to being polydactyl, which means they have five toes on each foot, as against regular chickens, who have four. The black silkie chicken is particularly popular. Here are some questions with answers to help you decide if the Silkie Chicken is right for you: 1. Silkie bantam chickens are not considered good layers as they tend to be broody, wanting to set on the bantam silkie chicken … Love the chickens, they bring us a lot of enjoyment. 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