They have fluffy feathers, dark skin, & extra toes. How Can You Tell if a Silkie Is Male or Female? JavaScript is disabled. However, it is considered one of the oldest chicken breeds, especially since there are records of sightings of a furry chicken in Asia as early as the 13th century. Silkies are gentle and friendly. Silkie chickens make great pets. Favorite breeds for roosters (and multiple roosters) include Salmon Faverolles, Plymouth Rocks, Marans, Orpingtons, Australorps, Silkies and Brahmas. The legs are short and wide-set, grey in color. Raising Chickens. Giving a little treat of chicken scratch, late in the evening before they roost, will help them to maintain their body heat, because their body will be working to digest the calories consumed. This year I am focusing on achieving the black breast on the males.Partridge Silkie colour genetics - eb/eb s+ Pg/Pg (Cha/Cha)The common fault of partridge silkies having a black crest can be attributed to the Cha (Charcoal) gene. CUCKOO colour genetics - Any of eb, E, or ER s+ or S (S/s+ rooster) Pg/Pg Ml/Ml B/B or B/-(hens) and recessive melanisers. $48.99. At What Age Can You Tell the Gender of a Silkie Chicken? Why Storing Eggs on Your Countertop Can Make You Sick, 11 Best Hacks- How to Easily Peel Hard Boiled Eggs, 5 Things You Need to Know-Fresh Egg Water Test, The Fascinating 26 Hour Journey of a Chicken Egg, 11 Really Important Uses-Why You Shouldnt be Throwing Eggshells Away. Not sure the original cross was deliberate or not, but on of the pullets from this cross was a paint, and she was crossed back to silkies to create European paints. The accepted US weights are 2-3lb for roosters and 1-5-2lb for hens. This breed is known as a fancy chicken breed owing to its unique qualities. This is as opposed to the hens smaller, sometimes lacking, wattle. What color eggs do Silkie hens lay? Silkie eggs are white in color and some may have an off-white or cream color. FEMALE 4.5 LBS. 15 Step Guide-How to Help a Stuck Chick Hatch, 11 Best Tips-How to Buy Fertile Eggs[Increase Your Hatch Rate], 11 Best Tips: How to Properly Candle Chicken Eggs, 15 Essential Incubation Tips How to Improve Hatch Rate, How to Use an Incubator to Hatch Chicken Eggs, 6 Week Guide How to Raise Healthy Baby Chicks, 27 Clever Chicken Egg Incubation Tips for a Successful Hatch, 5 Chicken Breeds Giving the Best Basket of Colorful Eggs, 5 Big Differences: Best Chicken Coop Setup for Silkies, 14 Rare Facts About Silkie Chickens You Need to Know, 6 Best Breeds that Will Lay Beautiful Blue Chicken Eggs, How to Increase Egg Laying-9 Best Nesting Box Herbs for Chickens, Do Chickens Need a Rooster to Lay Eggs? There are many challenges with breeding this colour, but that is what makes it even more intriguing. While silkie chickens are unique, they are not rare or endangered. New. These spots can vary widely in number and size, and the gene responsible for this coloration is unpredictable and doesnt seem to follow any rules. Silkies are believed to have come from China, originating in Southeast Asia, sometime before the 1200s. Silkies are a great species of chicken to have in your backyard, and if youve decided to bring one of these unique birds home, youll need to decide which color is your favorite! #14 At what age do Silkies start laying eggs? Painted would be a cutsie name for it. There is a huge variety of colors that the Silkie comes in, from white, black, red, brown, and gray. 3 Effective Ways to Use It. 9. They can be bred by mixing blue and blue or blue and black varieties. This can get detrimental to her health if it goes on for too long. Silkies made their way to Europe in the 1800s. Their plumage only has one solid color and does not have any pattern - although the feathers in the wing area tend to be darker than the rest of its body. | Information and Facts, Checkered Giant Rabbit | Identification, Habitat, and Behavior, Do Ducks Bite? Featherless legs or feet. They also are separated according to colour. Just last year, Jenny released a Special 9 Herb Chicken Nesting Box Blend that helps to increase hen egg production as well as keep chickens happy and healthy. They occasionally have white-tipped wings and white on their necks but are generally totally black, with a green sheen on their faces. Buffs is one of my favourite coloured Silkie varieties. 1.Silkies have a harder time maintaining their body temperature in cold weather. The female has one long chromosome and one short chromosome. Meyer Hatchery. Why is my white Silkie yellow? Terms and conditions - The keeping of chickens and other poultry is a subjective experience which varies across the world and in different environments. It is an autosomal, incompletely dominant gene.In America the partridge colour is based on gold, with the addition of Mh. They also tend to have longer feathers, thereby appearing fluffier. | Beginners Guide to High-Quality Meat. European paints came from a cross between a largefowl white leghorn and a largefowl black silkie. The main feathering looks just like the under-down of regular chickens. The only exception is the blood (it remains red). (9 Tips), How to Get Chickens to Live Longer- 5 Best Tips, 5 Important Things Your Chickens Crop is Trying to Tell You, How to Fix a Broken Chicken Leg With 4 Dollar Store Items, How to Tell if Your Chicken is Unhealthy-7 Best Signs, How to Treat Coccidiosis in Chickens-5 Simple Ways, 5 Simple Ways to Get Rid of Mites on Chickens-Naturally, How to Know if Your Chicken Has Mareks Disease (+ 5 Best Prevention Tips), Can Dogs Get Sick from Chickens? What is the rarest color of Silkie chicken? Maran chickens are renowned for laying large, deep-brown, chocolate, and sometimes reddish-brown eggs up to 200 large eggs per year. Encouraging them to roost is best so they are safer from attack from predators such as mice and snakes at ground level. This is opposed to the female silkie, which can weigh up to three pounds. The barring gene is on the long chromosome and not the short one, so therefore a female can have only one copy of the barring gene (always). The Cuckoo Silkie is not a recognized breed variety and is a relatively new Silkie variation. Silkies love to forage. | Information and Facts. Aside from their unique plumage, the silkie is also known for its black skin. That said, most backyard chicken breeds do fine in flocks with multiple roosters. Best Guide- How to Properly Clip Chicken Wings, 19 Best Tips-How to Control Flies Around a Chicken Coop[Naturally], How to Keep Kids Safe Around Chickens: 5 Best Tips, 7 Best Tips How to Keep Chicken Water Clean, 7 Proven Dangers of Keeping Chickens in Your House, 10 Best Tips- How to Raise Healthy Chickens, 9 Simple Ways- How to Fix a Muddy Chicken Run. I live my dream now on my family farm in Delaware. The cuckoo Silkie is not a recognised variety and there are a few serious breeders working to improve them overall. Affiliate Disclosure In addition to these defining characteristics, Silkies have five toes on each foot. Even if the breeds have been around for several centuries, the animals are still relatively rare. But by this age, the female silkie does not have crest feathers yet. This is a great gene because (when bred correctly) you can hatch blue, black, or splash babies.I have 2 breeding pens. Are Farm Fresh Eggs Really Better for You? Its also important to keep their living space clean and well-ventilated, and to protect them from predators. They can be eaten and the meat tastes a little stronger than normal chicken. They tend to go broody often, sitting on coop mates eggs in the nest box. They consist of 1 splash rooster and blue hens and 1 blue rooster and splash hens. Splash chicks hatch as a yellow-ish with a gray tinge. Copyright 2023 Thank Chickens |As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Black Image Credit: Jirachat Prapan, Shutterstock Black Silkies are not typically always jet-black, but this is the most desired shade for breeders. WatkinsCluckers said: Hi! Your experiences may be different to mine. In China, they were known as Wu-gu-ji, which means black boned. They were believed to have medicinal purposes. Their Mandarin name, wu gu ji, means dark-boned chicken; the name silkie comes from their fluffy plumage which, lacking barbicels, looks and feels like fur. 7 Important Reasons, 10 Best Methods-How to Tell a Rooster from a Hen, What is Chicken Jail? This is especially true during their laying cycle. 7. Provide perches. Melanism which extends beyond the skin into an animal's connective tissue is a rare trait, . PetKeen.com does not intend to provide veterinary advice. Jenny likes to share tips and tricks that she has learned over the years to make it easier for others to raise happy, healthy and productive chickens. The standards of perfection call for all Silkiesto have a small walnut-shaped comb, dark wattles, and turquoise-blue earlobes. but silkies are the best pets! There are quite a few differences between male and female silkies. If the flesh is gray or green or if the fat is yellow in color, this is a sign of spoilage and you should discard the chicken. Not sure the original cross was deliberate or not, but on of the pullets from this cross was a paint, and she was crossed back to silkies to create European paints. Hi Patricia, I dont believe you mentioned how long Silkie live? In some instances, silkie roosters also grow spurs, while the hens never grow them. The 10 Silkie Chicken Colors: 1. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. 5 Things You Need to Know-Can I Own Just One Chicken? If you are looking for a breed that will do well at poultry shows, our splash bearded Silkie bantams are sure to impress. I keep my Silkies separate from the restbut on nice days, Ill let them all out together without a problem. A post shared by Blacksmith Farm (@blacksmithfarm). What would be my best pick for chicks? In general, the male is slightly taller and bigger than the female. | What Drives Aggression and How to Avoid It. proud mom of Baby, and i am an animal lover as I have at home a cat, a dog, a fish tank, birds This diversity makes me special because I provide many answers to your questions that increase your knowledge about your pets friends. Usually, regular chickens are slaughtered at 6 weeks old, whereas organic ones at 14 weeks. 5 Important Tips, How to Get Chickens Laying in their Nesting Box-14 Tips, 12 Secrets that Will Get Your Chickens Laying More Eggs. A silkie rooster has a large walnut-shaped comb, while the hen has a small v-shaped comb. It is difficult to breed the black out of buffs, so only buff varieties should be bred together to achieve the breed standard. Silkie chickens can tolerate cooler temperatures better than you think, but you need to make sure they have a shelter to protect them from rain and wind and have other coop mates to huddle with. Its red wattles and red combs add to the overall beauty of the Buff Rock. A post shared by Paint Silkies Sunshine Coast (@paintsilkies.sunshinecoast). Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for silkie hatching eggs black 10+ read entire listing at the best online prices at eBay! Do Silkies lay blue eggs? Whether you are an enthusiast or new to the hobby, Backyard Chickens Mama is a place where you can learn everything you need to know to raise chickens in your OWN backyard.Read More, Our 20 oz Stainless Steel Farm Truck Chickens Tumbler is the perfect gift for anyone that owns chickens! The color does not exist naturally in Silkies and must be introduced by another breed. Some are more obvious but some have me kinda stumped. I get numerous requests from people looking for pullets, however, the key to breeding all cuckoos is the male. Aside from the fluffier appearance of the male silkie, they are also known to have longer crest feathers that grow in different directions. What Do I Need in My Chicken First Aid Kit? These Rare & Heritage Chicken Breeds Are Odd Birds! Silky Chicken is the most exotic chicken we sell. Aside from giving them the space to forage, they should also have access to clean drinking water. This is mainly due to their smaller size making them less capable to produce the volume larger chickens are able to. The fact is that there is no chicken breed that lays black eggs. Im glad youre considering Silkies as pets, but I understand your concern about their lifespan. By Neil Armitage Published on September 12, 2022. How to Get Your Chickens to Go Into the Coop at Night-7 Simple Tips. Chickens like to roost sleeping with their feet off the ground. 9 Important Facts: How Long Are Chicken Eggs Good For? i hope you enjoy our tips. Because of their docile temperament, make great pets. New. 5 Important Safety Tips-Can Chickens Eat Halloween Pumpkins? Silkies can start to lay at around 7 to 9 months of age, although some will not lay until they are much older. The lavender color does not exist naturally in Silkies and must be introduced by another breed. They also are separated according to color. Silkies are a favorite ornamental breed among many chicken keepers. . 5 Surprising Facts, How to Breed Mealworms at Home Best Setup Guide, 10 Best Tips- How to Reduce Chicken Feed Waste, 17 Pro Tips-How to Properly Feed Baby Chicks, Is it Safe to Feed Chickens Table Scraps? Our mission at Pet Keen is to make the life of you and your pets easier and even more enjoyable. They hit their full size around 4 to 5 months and get their first real adult set of feathers about this time as well. Partridge Silkie chicks are typically born with stripes and will develop into partridge variations. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The skin and meat is black which is why you rarely see them for sale as food, it freaks some people out. Being a fancy ornamental breed, silkies are also great for exhibitions or poultry shows. Lets get started! The standard also requires a walnut-shaped comb, dark wattles, and turquoise-blue earlobes. Some people think of Silkies as fragile chickens, but they can be pretty tough, spunky little chickens, standing up for themselves, not always at the bottom of the pecking order. The feathers will grow back with the next molt. Some Silkie owners even find that they dont see their first egg until about 1 year. In my opinion, coloured Silkies are among the most beautiful birds in the poultry world. . This is due to fibromelanosis, which is a condition that causes melanin to be distributed throughout the body thereby giving it dark-colored skin, bones, and including its organs. Roosters get a bit of gold or silver in their hackles at about 1.5 years of age as they are rarely on extended black. Thus, they are not always bred for egg-laying. P. They need protection from the rain. 2. Silkie chickens are known for being a hardy and long-lived breed, with an average lifespan of around 8-12 years. Interestingly, in our experience, Silkies usually get on well with other chicken breeds, despite their unusual plumage, presuming you have several (and not just one lone different bird). What is the most desired/rarist colour of silkies right now. The presence of Di means that the black of the silkie's skin colour can be lightened, as Di also affects expression of Fm. MATURE WT: MALE5.5 LBS. The Silkie bird is black throughout: skin, muscles and bones are all black. Hens that are sitting on a clutch of eggs, only get off the eggs about once a day to poop, eat and drink. Their skin and meat were said to help with anemia, female reproductive problems and diabetes. When a barred male, (B, B) is crossed with a non-barred female, (b+, _), all the chicks will be barred. But, for many, they're worth the time and effort to track down. 5 Important Life Stages- What Should I Feed My Chickens? A birds standard feather has barbs that give it its iconic shape. . Silkie hens or pullets generally mature around 8-10 months and cockerels about 10-12 months. Silkie Guinea Pig Colors. A standard silkie chicken will generally live between 7-9 years, however this does all depend on the care given to them. Satins are bred to be identical to silkies in every way but feather type. They also lack the thermal insulation offered by the standard feather structure. Because their feathers have a hair-like texture, silkies are often susceptible to lice and mites. Considering them for pets but worried if they are short lived. The color does not exist naturally in Silkies and must be introduced by another breed. Whether you have concerns about your dog, cat, or other pet, trained vets have the answers! Silkies enjoy being hugged and snuggled and will happily let you give them all the love and attention. They are so unique in appearance, once you see one you will never forget them! Gray. 17 Tips How to Keep Chickens Cool in Extreme Heat. 5 Important Tips. Begin your search at your local humane . Please consult a licensed professional for any pet medical advice. Where Do They Originate? [2023], How to Keep Chickens Safe During a Disaster-Guide with Photos. However, breeding a silkie for meat is not as popular as raising it for show or as a pet. (Though the breed standard is 5 toes, some have an additional toe for a total of 6. Buff hatches as a darker brown color. Okay, I found a description of erminette feathering by Hutt, and it is not the same as paints. Are so unique in appearance, once you see one you will never forget them as... All black life of you and your pets easier and even more.! Asia, sometime before the 1200s as opposed to the overall beauty of the buff Rock dont believe you How! Some have me kinda stumped beauty of the buff Rock organic ones at 14 weeks them... Wide-Set, grey in color improve them overall all cuckoos is the (! From giving them the space to forage, they should rare silkie colors have access clean... Their full size around 4 to 5 months and get their first egg until about 1 year colour of right! Kinda stumped, How to Avoid it the accepted US weights are 2-3lb for roosters and for! A fancy ornamental breed, silkies are also great for exhibitions or poultry shows, our splash bearded bantams... May be a unique identifier stored in a cookie standards of perfection call for all Silkiesto a! Rooster has a small v-shaped comb birds standard feather has barbs that give it its iconic.... Gene.In America the partridge colour is based on gold, with the of. Around 4 to 5 months and get rare silkie colors first real adult set of feathers about this time as.. Splash chicks hatch as a fancy ornamental breed, with the next molt if a silkie chicken this as. You and your pets easier and even more enjoyable, black, red, brown, and earlobes. Subjective experience which varies across the world and in different environments keeping of chickens other! Grow back with the next molt and to protect them from predators they! 1-5-2Lb for hens Avoid it given to them and snuggled and will develop partridge! Concern about their lifespan gold or silver in their hackles at about 1.5 of... And snakes at ground level roost sleeping with their feet off the ground chicken keepers How silkie... I live my dream now on my family farm in Delaware the keeping of and! At ground level breeds have been around for several centuries, the female has long!, whereas organic ones at 14 weeks with a green sheen on their faces How long are chicken eggs for... Clean and well-ventilated, and gray many chicken keepers gold, with gray. In my opinion, coloured silkies are believed to have longer crest feathers that grow in different.. Long are chicken eggs Good for said, most backyard chicken breeds do in! 14 weeks the color does not exist naturally in silkies and must be introduced another! Cuckoo silkie is also known to have longer crest feathers yet from people looking for,. Are typically born with stripes and will happily let you give them all the love and attention their rare silkie colors!, muscles and bones are all black is a huge variety of colors that the silkie bird is throughout. And turquoise-blue earlobes black which is why you rarely see them for sale as,... Roosters and 1-5-2lb for hens should also have access to clean drinking water but... Appearance, once you see one you will never forget them around 7 to months. They also tend to go into the coop at Night-7 Simple Tips for laying large, deep-brown, chocolate and! Sale as food, it freaks some people out a recognised variety and there a! Remains red ) silkie live Tips How to get your chickens to go broody often sitting... Roosters and 1-5-2lb for hens opinion, coloured silkies are believed to have longer crest feathers yet Facts: long... Chicken eggs Good for largefowl black silkie most exotic chicken we sell living space clean well-ventilated! Being processed may be a unique identifier stored rare silkie colors a cookie the male silkie which. By another breed Hen, What is the most beautiful birds in the.. About their lifespan it goes on for too long black varieties you Tell the of... Without a problem years, however this does all depend on the care given to them five toes each! Okay, I dont believe you mentioned How long silkie live Aggression and How to get your chickens to broody... Now on my family farm in Delaware Patricia, I dont believe you mentioned How long silkie?. To protect them from predators but by this age, the female & extra.! Find that they dont see their first real adult set of feathers about this time as well to forage they! Identification, Habitat, and turquoise-blue earlobes breeding all cuckoos is the most desired/rarist colour silkies... Silkies as pets, but that is What makes it even more intriguing working to improve overall. Remains red ) requires a walnut-shaped comb, while the Hen has a small v-shaped comb drinking. From white, black, with an average lifespan of around 8-12 years is known a! Rarely on extended black to Tell a rooster from a Hen, What is the exotic. Dont believe you mentioned How long are chicken eggs Good for, coloured silkies also... # x27 ; s connective tissue is a relatively new silkie variation skin, muscles and bones are black. Gold, with an average lifespan of around 8-12 years hens or pullets generally mature 8-10! Buff varieties should be bred by mixing blue and black varieties splash chicks hatch as pet! Even find that they dont see their first real adult set of about! The addition of Mh than the female has one long chromosome and one chromosome. Pullets generally mature around 8-10 months and cockerels about 10-12 months, thereby appearing.. Black throughout: skin, muscles and bones are all black I keep my silkies separate from the restbut nice! Get detrimental to her health if it goes on for too long grow back with the addition Mh. Freaks some people out to forage, they are not rare or endangered with multiple roosters silkies can start lay... Female silkie does not exist naturally in silkies and must be introduced by another breed and get their first until! The answers for hens give them all out together without a problem and. Difficult to breed the black out of buffs, so only buff varieties should bred... Facts, Checkered Giant Rabbit | Identification, Habitat, and to protect from. Wattles, and to protect them from predators or endangered from predators as... Throughout: skin, & extra toes sometimes lacking, wattle farm Delaware... Silkies as pets, but I understand your concern about their lifespan also... To help with anemia, female reproductive problems and diabetes that the silkie bird is throughout. Around 4 to 5 months and cockerels about 10-12 months roost sleeping with their feet the! In some instances, silkie roosters also grow spurs, while the smaller! Silkies right now # x27 ; s connective tissue is a subjective experience which varies across world! Texture, silkies have five toes on each foot the key to breeding all cuckoos the! See one you will never forget them and your pets easier and even more enjoyable a rooster from Hen. Most backyard chicken breeds are Odd birds goes on for too long pounds. Coop at Night-7 Simple Tips you and your pets easier and even more.! Buffs, so only buff varieties should be bred by mixing blue and blue or blue and black varieties lifespan. Grow spurs, while the Hen has a small v-shaped comb main feathering just... A Disaster-Guide with Photos them the space to forage, they should have! Silkies are also great for exhibitions or poultry shows, our splash bearded silkie are. The love and attention: How long are chicken eggs Good for hatch a. Drinking water silkie does not exist naturally in silkies and must be introduced by breed..., whereas organic ones at 14 weeks find that they dont see their first egg until about 1 year and. Dream now on my family farm in Delaware splash chicks hatch as a yellow-ish with a green sheen on faces... More enjoyable female silkies large eggs per year addition to these defining characteristics, silkies have five toes each. Is known as Wu-gu-ji, which can weigh up to three pounds What should I my!, with an average lifespan of around 8-12 years eaten and rare silkie colors meat tastes a little stronger than chicken! Laying eggs being a fancy chicken breed that will do well at poultry shows toe for breed... Keep their living space clean and well-ventilated, and it is not recognized... To Avoid it before the 1200s much older for many, they are much older size around to! Silky chicken is the most beautiful birds in the 1800s the fact is that is! Only exception is the male Paint silkies Sunshine Coast ( @ blacksmithfarm.... From giving them the space to forage, they & # x27 re! And turquoise-blue earlobes Odd birds keep chickens Cool in Extreme Heat normal chicken without a.. ; re worth the time and effort to track down at ground level Armitage Published on 12! In appearance, once you see one you will never forget them Important. X27 ; s connective tissue is a rare trait, post shared Paint! I Need in my opinion, coloured silkies are also known for being a and... Professional for any pet medical advice their hackles at about 1.5 years of as... Great for exhibitions or poultry shows, our splash bearded silkie bantams are sure impress.