Silkie

Why this fits you

Silkies are unmistakable -- fluffy, almost fur-like plumage, black skin and bones, and a famously sweet, calm temperament that makes them popular as pets and with children. They're also reliably broody, often used specifically to hatch eggs from better-laying breeds. The tradeoff is egg production: only 100-120 small eggs a year.

Temperament and handling

Silkies are famously docile. They tolerate handling, are easy for children to hold and are often the first bird people choose as a pet. Their gentle nature also makes them vulnerable: they sit low in the pecking order and can be bullied by larger breeds, so they usually do best kept with other Silkies or similarly calm birds.

Eggs and broodiness

A Silkie lays only about 100 to 120 small cream or tinted eggs a year, and much of that time she is trying to sit on them instead. Their broody instinct is strong and persistent, and that is the main reason people keep them: a Silkie hen will hatch eggs of other breeds, ducks and even quail, and raise the chicks carefully. If you want to hatch eggs without an incubator, a Silkie is hard to beat.

Plumage, size and appearance

The fluffy, hair-like feathering is the breed's signature, and Silkies also have black skin, dark bones, a walnut comb, a crest and five toes instead of four. Standard Silkies weigh only 2 to 3 pounds, with bantam versions smaller. The skin and bones are black in a healthy bird, so a black carcass is normal, though the meat is not commonly raised for the table.

Housing and weather

Because the plumage is not waterproof, a wet Silkie becomes cold and soaked quickly. Keep them in a dry, draft-free coop with a covered run, and avoid letting them range in rain or heavy dew. They cannot fly, which makes them easy to confine but also easy for predators to catch, so use a secure run with hardware cloth, not chicken wire. Crested birds may have trouble seeing, so keep feeders and waterers where they can find them.

Health and care

Feathered feet and fluffy plumage can hide mites and lice, so check regularly. Keep the vent area clean, since long feathers can become soiled. Silkies are small, so they eat less than standard breeds, but they still need a balanced feed. Do not treat a Silkie like a miniature layer: its needs are those of a gentle pet that also hatches chicks.

Who should choose something else

If you want eggs for the kitchen, pick a different breed. If you want a gentle pet and a hatching hen, a Silkie is a great choice and pairs well with a small flock of production birds.

Pairing Silkies with other birds

Silkies do best with calm companions, so keep them with other Silkies, bantams or gentle breeds, and separate them from assertive ones. They come in standard and bantam sizes. A small Silkie hen can cover fewer large eggs than a standard hen, so do not overload her nest. Keep the broody hen in a quiet pen and separate from the flock, with food and water within reach, so that she is not disturbed.

How it compares

Buying checklist

• Dry, draft-free housing -- fluffy plumage sheds water poorly
• Extra predator protection -- Silkies can't fly to escape
• Lower feed cost given their small size and light egg production

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