Data sheet Silkie chickens
German name:
silky chickens
Origin:
East Asia (probably China, Mongolia)
Weight
Hen:
1 to 1.4 kg
Faucet:
1.4 to 1.7 kg
eggs
Number (per year):
about 80 to 100 eggs
Weight:
40g
Color:
light brown
behavior and peculiarities
Flight Skills:
unable to fly
color shades:
white, black, blue, wild color, splash, pearl grey
Number:
5 to 6 chickens (including a rooster)
Life expectancy:
5 to 8 years
Difficulty level:
Beginner
Other special features:
– five toes
– bushy feathers
– Winterlayer
Camille Gillet, Coq poule soie rouge, CC BY-SA 4.0
The silkie chicken is one widespread type of domestic fowl and can be traced back more than 700 years in history. The first reports estimate the domestication of the silkie chicken in 1292. At that time it became probable in China and Mongolia used as livestock.
The silkie chicken is particularly striking because of its long and bushy feathersthat come in different colors. They resemble more the fur of a rabbit or a cat, but less typical feathers. This structure makes the chicken unable to fly. The light blue ear pads are also a unique selling point of the silkie chicken. In general, the silkie chicken smaller than comparable chicken breeds, which makes it easy to hold. A 60 cm high fence is perfectly adequate. The silkie also takes up less space than other breeds.
It suitable for beginnerswho want to start keeping chickens. It lays a manageable number of eggs and is peaceful. The silkie shows itself towards humans and also towards other chickens trusting. It is also not demanding and leaves himself keep in a small space. However, a shelter for rain is necessary, as mud settles in the fringed feathers.
gender differences
The Rooster is slightly larger than a hen. After birth, however, it is not yet possible to determine the sex.
This is only possible from the 5th month at the earliest and can only be guessed at beforehand. A Rooster has a rather pointed crestwhile a hen a rounded head of hair has.
breed
The silkie can be kept in a flat enclosure. Chickens of different colors can be bred together, here the color of the feathers is crucial. White and black are the dominant colors and prevail over other colors such as blue or wild colors in a pairing.
rearing of the chicks
4028mdk09, Tiny chicks of a black silkie, CC BY-SA 3.0
Like the adult animal, it is a silkie chick peaceful and undemanding, can be raised with only a few resources. The feathers are fluffy from a young age, and the chicks themselves are comparatively small.
When buying chick feed, you should pay attention to the right size so that the chick can pick up the feed with its beak. A silkie lays its first eggs after 6 months.
socialization
The silkie is a friendly and peaceful breed that gets along well with other chickens. It shows no aggression towards other animals. A silkie can can be kept in the same enclosure with other chicken breeds without any problems, as long as they are also peaceful. A Silkie is easy to keep and trusting.
It is tame and can be picked up if it trusts a person enough. A group should at least from a handful of chickens exist, including a rooster.