Silkie Chickens

Silkie chickens are a breed named for their unique, fluffy plumage and have other unusual qualities like their dark blue flesh and bones, blue earlobes, and five toes on each foot. They come in several colours, are often exhibited in poultry shows, and are well known for their calm and friendly temperament. They are among the most docile of poultry and are considered to be an ideal pet. The hens are exceptionally broody, and make excellent mothers. They lay about three eggs a week and are often used to hatch out eggs of other birds. It is unknown exactly were they came from however the most documented point of origin is ancient China. The earliest record of silkies is by Marco Polo who wrote about them in the 13th century during his travels in Asia. Silkies probably made their way to the west by the silk road and maritime trade. Silkie chickens were accepted into the Standard of Perfection in 1874. Today they are one of the most popular breeds of chickens. Silkie feathers lack barbicels which gives a similar appearance to down on other birds. Their are two distinct varieties of silkies, the bearded and non-bearded. Duckopolis breeds bearded. Silkie chickens make excellent mothers and I have used them to hatch eggs from all of my birds (ducks, chickens, geese, peafowl, guineas, and turkeys). They will lay around 100 eggs in a good year, which is mostly due to the fact the they will go broody so often.

Duckopolis has silkies available in:

Black, Blue, Buff, Splash, & White