![]() Resilient Silkies’ bear confinement well in the chicken coop and, like the majority of chicken breeds, are fine when raised in a free-range fashion. Their mild character makes them not only a great backyard bird but a sublime family pet whose quiet nature will also keep any cranky next-door neighbors at bay.Īn added plus with neighbors, by the way, is that these chickens are known for being garden-friendly, as they tend to scratch less than other breeds.įor those bird keepers that are already running into garden carnage, feel free to peek at our article on How to Keep Chickens Out of the Garden. So, watch out if you have aggressive or bully birds! Sometimes they are so calm and friendly that they can be in the lower pecking order. You can also introduce them to your backyard flock without any fuss because they get along well with other birds. This breed has a reputation of being completely at ease with human interaction and handling, so expect them to treat you as if you were just another feathered member of the flock (…or the other way around). ![]() Silkies are amongst the kindest chickens you will ever cross paths with. In other words, the easiest way to distinguish one variety from the other is to see if you can easily spot the bird’s face (non-bearded), or if you just see a tiny beak amongst a large mass of fluff (bearded). So, are they able to see behind their fuzzy pom-pom head feathers?Įven if their messy top knots get in the way from time to time, Silkies are able to see just fine!īeard-free varieties have more of a naked face instead, with their earlobes and wattles uncovered. You’ll find that bearded Silkies, both hens and roosters, have a plumage that covers their earlobes and continues masking the surface around their face all the way down to below their beak. Two types of Silkie chickens can be distinguished within the breed, namely the bearded and non-bearded. Unfortunately, standard-sized or bantam silkies do not have barbicels ( 1). This vane is comprised of small branches called barbs, which run parallel to each other, and that in turn hold minute hooks called barbicels.īarbicels are responsible for attaching barbs to one another, consequently giving feathers their sealed-like feel and providing birds with cutting-edge insulation. ![]() Regular chicken feathers – and most feathers in general – are mainly composed of a quill at the base, a shaft at the center, and a vane that extends outward from both sides of the shaft. We analyse the Silkie Chicken based on its physical features, temperament, special care needed, and purpose: Physical FeaturesĪpart from their bird-bunny-amalgam appearance, the woolly feathers are one of the most unique characteristics pertaining to Silkies. Well… we can’t really blame those early merchants! Profiling Silkie Chickens It may (or may not!) surprise you to learn that these funky birds were initially marketed as a peculiar cross between a chicken and a rabbit. It is said that the Silkies first reached Europe by way of the Silk Road, and were soon exported around the world. Marco Polo first brought the breed to the Western world’s attention when he wrote about a fur-covered fowl he had heard of in his travels across Asia. This Muppet-looking ancient chicken breed can be traced back to China and the far east, although its precise place of origin has yet to be discovered. Silkies In A Nutshell Purpose for breeding Whatever your opinion is at first sight, after reading our ultimate guide on the Silkie chicken, these fluffy oddities of the chicken realm will no doubt steal your heart and land right in your yard. Some call them funny a few bizarre, while others say they are the indisputable weirdos of the chicken world. The Silkie Chicken – Everything You Need To Know
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