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Silkie

For other darkmeat chickens, see Black chicken.
This article is about a variety of a chicken. For other uses, see Silkie (disambiguation).
Silkie
A white Silkie hen
Other namesSilky
Chinese silk chicken
Country of originChina[1]
Traits
Weight
  • Male:
    0.9–1.4 kg (2–3 lb)
  • Female:
    0.7–0.9 kg (1+1⁄2–2 lb)
Skin colorblack or brown or blue
Egg colorcream or tinted
Comb typewalnut
Classification
APAAsiatic
PCGBSoft Feather: Light[2]
  • Chicken
  • Gallus gallus domesticus
A black Silkie hen and a non-Silkie chick. The breed is renowned for its broodiness and mothering abilities.

The Silkie (also known as the Silky or Chinese silk chicken) is a Chinese breed of chicken named for its atypically fluffy plumage, which is said to feel like silk and satin. The breed has several other unusual qualities, such as black skin and bones, blue earlobes, and five toes on each foot, whereas most chickens have only four. They are often exhibited in poultry shows, and also appear in various colors. In addition to their distinctive physical characteristics, Silkies are well known for their calm and friendly temperament. It is among the most docile of poultry. Hens are also exceptionally broody, and care for young well. Although they are fair layers themselves, laying only about three eggs a week, they are commonly used to hatch eggs from other breeds and bird species due to their broody nature. Silkie chickens have been bred to have a wide variety of colors which include but are not limited to: Black, Blue, Buff, Partridge, Splash, White, Lavender, Paint and Porcelain.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Ekarius was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference pcgb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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