Silkie chickens are a gentle breed known for their fluffy, silk-like feathers resembling poof balls, making them popular pets. You’ve probably seen a Silkie before, they’re memorable little birds. They’re equal parts stunning and ridiculous! These are cute and fluffy chickens, if a little impractical.
Their adorable genetics come at a cost—they are not the productive egg layers. While Silkies certainly have appealing qualities as pets, their lackluster laying abilities make them less practical for backyard flock owners who prioritize a steady supply of eggs.
Origin and History
Silkies originated in Asia, most likely China given their Chinese name of “Wu-gu-ji”. They have been raised in China for many centuries, prized for their unusual appearance, and valued in Chinese culture for their mythical powers.
In the 13th Century, Marco Polo wrote about “fluffy chickens” in his journeys in the East. Silkies first became known to Europe in the 1800s after being imported from China via the Silk Road trading route. Early Dutch traders who brought Silkie chickens back to Europe told buyers that they were the product of cross-breeding a chicken with a rabbit. Talk about buyer beware!
From Europe, they later made their way to North America in the late 1800s, becoming established as a novelty breed and exhibition chicken. Today, they are possibly the most prolific ornamental show bird around.
Appearance and Characteristics
Silkies are known for their unique fluffy feathers that lack barbicels, meaning they don’t interlock like regular feathers. This results in a soft and abundant plumage that looks and feels like down. Silkies can be found in various colors, such as solid white, black, blue, gray, buff, splash, or partridge patterns.
Under those feathers, Silkies have black skin and bones, often with a dark bluish tinge. Even the meat of a true Silkie will come out dark purple. Yes, in case that didn’t sink in, their skin, bones, organs, and even their meat is a stark black! Their comb and wattles are also dark-colored and compact.
Silkies are a bantam breed, but their abundant plumage makes them appear bigger. From thigh to toe, their feet are covered in more fluffy feathers rather than scales. These feathered feet sure look cute, but require extra care.
While fluffy and feathered, Silkies are typically docile, friendly chickens thanks to their bantam size. Their gentle personality makes them great pets. More details on the
- Plumage: Soft, fluffy feathers that lack barbicels so they do not hold together smoothly. This gives them abundant, downy plumage rather than sleek feathers.
- Color: They come in many color variations including solid white, black, blue, gray, buff, splash, and partridge.
- Skin and bones: Black skin, bones, and meat often with a dark bluish-purplish tinge.
- Comb and wattles: Compact walnut-shaped comb and dark wattles.
- Feathered feet: Covered in fluffy feathers from thigh to toe rather than having scales on their feet and legs.
- Bantam breed: Silkies are bantams, so they are miniature chickens. But their abundant plumage makes them appear larger despite their petite bantam frames.
- Disposition: Docile and friendly personality.
Silkies Are Poor Egg Layers
Here’s where things go downhill for the fluffy Silkie chicken.
On average, Silkies only lay about 3 small cream or tinted eggs per week. That’s around 100-120 eggs annually—a pitiful output compared to most backyard chickens. Heck, other breeds easily lay double that, and considering that these are bantam-sized eggs, the output is downright dismal. You’re average Barred Rock or Rhode Island Red will lay 4-5X more eggs (in weight) than a Silkie hen.
Strangely enough, Silkies love going broody. Whether they have eggs to sit on or not, a broody Silkie hen will stop laying entirely to sit and incubate the eggs. This broodiness can last for weeks. For owners wanting eggs, it’s a frustrating habit. Even if you want an ornamental hen just for looks, you won’t be seeing much of your broody Silkie hens.
I can’t overstate this, Silkies are poor laying hens. They are fun and cute and perfect for a chicken keeper interested in adding some flare to their backyard flock. Just know that these chickens cost more to feed than their output in eggs will be. In other words, Silkies make great pet chickens, not great productive chickens.
Are Silkies Actually Worth Keeping?
Given their poor egg production, both in quantity and egg size, is it actually worthwhile for a backyard chicken keeper to raise silkies? There are some definite downsides:
- Poor egg production: At just 1-2 eggs per week, a typical Silkie hen will produce less than half the eggs of most other breeds. This makes them a poor producer.
- Frequent broodiness: Silkies are notorious for frequently going broody. Once broody, they cease laying for extended periods to sit on eggs. This further limits annual eggs.
- High-maintenance feathered feet: Their adorable feathered feet require diligent cleaning and care to prevent buildup and frostbite in winter.
- Susceptible to predators: Their limited flight ability due to abundant plumage means they cannot escape predators well. Extra protection is needed.
- Prone to getting picked on: In mixed flocks, Silkies tend to get bullied by more assertive breeds. As bantams, they can be intimidated.
- Messy feeders: Their fluffy head feathers obstruct their vision leading them to scratch out and waste feed.
- Poor foragers: Their poor vision and flight ability inhibit their ability to forage widely if allowed to free-range.
So in summary, Silkies offer little in terms of productivity to a flock. But they still have appeal among some keepers:
- Adorable fluffy appearance: Many chicken enthusiasts find their fluffy feathers irresistibly cute.
- Friendly, docile pets: Silkies tend to be gentle chickens that interact well with caretakers. Their small size makes them easy to handle.
- Broody for incubating: While problematic for egg laying, their broodiness makes Silkies excellent natural incubators and mothers.
- Unique genetic traits: Silkies have unusual black-blue skin, bones, and blue earlobes. This makes them fascinating to breeders.
- (Really) Dark meat: Silkie chickens don’t have a large carcass yield averaging 1.5 pounds dressed out, however, their black meat makes it a rare commodity. The right market will pay up to $20 per pound of this exotic meat.
Their egg-laying qualities are poor, but their unique dark meat qualities could fetch a hefty price in the right markets, despite their dismal 1.5-pound dress weight. In other words, aside from their looks and attributes as a show bird, the meat of the Silkie chicken may be the only redeeming quality as a productive bird.
Common Questions About Silkie Chickens
What are the pros and cons of Silkies?
Pros include a cute fluffy appearance, friendly pets, broody for incubating, and strikingly dark-colored meat. The cons are poor egg production, frequent broodiness, high maintenance, and prone to predators.
What color eggs do Silkies lay?
Silkies lay small cream or tinted-colored eggs, about 1-3 per week.
Do Silkie chickens lay well?
No, Silkies are not good layers compared to most chicken breeds. They lay only 1-3 eggs per week.
How many eggs do Silkies lay?
Around 100-120 small eggs annually, averaging 3 or less eggs per week.
What is the lifespan of a Silkie chicken?
About 5-8 years. The average lifespan is reduced somewhat due to their susceptibility to predators.
Why should someone not get Silkies?
If you want a productive flock that provides a steady supply of eggs, Silkies are a poor choice due to their mediocre laying abilities.
Silkies Are Good For Some, But Not All
Silkie chickens are delightful oddball pets known for their fluffy plumage. But their mediocre egg production makes them an ornamental novelty breed at best. Silkies are perfect for chicken enthusiasts who value their aesthetic appeal. For those desiring a productive backyard flock, pass on the Silkies and choose a breed that actually lays eggs!
Silkies certainly have merits as docile, friendly pets and natural incubators. The joy of these fluffy chickens has compelled many a chicken enthusiast to make an exception just to have a few in their flock.
But make no mistake—Silkies are first and foremost an ornamental breed. They are kept for their novelty visual appeal, not for prolific eggs.
However, the Silkie has a redeeming black-blue carcass, that could fetch premium prices in niche markets, albeit at an extremely small dressed-out weight of 1.5 pounds.
Silkies are adorable and charming chickens, but they may be more suitable as an addition to an already productive flock rather than as a standalone breed for new chicken keepers. If you’re not particularly drawn to their appearance, it may be more practical to start your poultry adventures with other breeds.
Silkies chickens are lovely birds, with a rich history. But they are ornamental—don’t expect abundant eggs or meat.
References
- Breeds of Livestock. (n.d.). Silkie Bantam Chickens. Oklahoma State University. https://breeds.okstate.edu/poultry/chickens/silkie-bantam-chickens.html
- Chris, G. (2006). Choosing and Keeping Chickens. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books/about/Choosing_and_Keeping_Chickens.html?id=zOtIAAAAYAAJ
- Bella Bella Gourmet. (n.d.). Silkie Black Meat Chicken. https://bellabellagourmet.com/products/silkie-black-meat-chicken
- OSU Extension Professionals, YouTube. (April, 25, 2018). Silkie (Bantam). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1nkjXOLEQQ
- Silkie Chicken Experts. (October, 2006). A Complete Guide to Silkie Chicken Eggs. https://silkiechickenexperts.com/blogs/silkie/a-complete-guide-to-silkie-chicken-eggs
- Cluckin. (September, 2008). Broody Silkie Chickens. https://cluckin.net/broody-silkie-chickens.html
- Silkie Chicken Experts. (November, 2020). The Silkie Chicken as Table Fare: Keeping Silkies for Their Meat. https://silkiechickenexperts.com/blogs/silkie/the-silkie-chicken-as-table-fare-keeping-silkies-for-their-meat
