White Silkie Hen.
Silkie chickens have been given their name due to their feathers which are fluffy and have the texture of silk and satin. Their unusual characteristics feature black skin and bones, blue earlobes, and five toes on each foot. (Most chickens have only four.) They have a calm manner and a friendly temperament.
In fact, they are considered to be the most docile of poultry. The hens become very broody and look after their young very well but lay only about three eggs per week. Silkie chickens make great pets especially as they can tolerate a bit of rough handling.
The plumage of Silkie hens feels like a mixture of silk and satin. This beautiful white one was behind an enclosure and I would have loved to pick him up and caress his pure, white feathers.
Some countries consider silkies to be part of the bantam breed but others classify them as large fowl. Almost all North American strains of the breed are bantam-sized, but in Europe the standard-sized is the original version.
Historically, silkie plumage was very unique but in recent years the silkie feathering has been developed in a few breeds and more particularly the Chabo breed. Their plumage has been referred to fur and down and unfortunately their feathers lack barbicels which means these silkies are unable to fly.
There are two, distinct varieties of Silkies: the bearded and non-bearded type. Bearded Silkies have an extra muff of feathers under the beak area that covers the earlobes. They are also distinguished by colour when entered into shows and these colours include black, blue, buff, grey, partridge, and white. There are other unusual colours available such as cuckoo, lavender and even red.
Silkies lay a large number of eggs which are cream in colour, but when they become broody this interrupts production. Hens will ideally produce up to 100 eggs in a year.
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