Perfection guidelines recommend that all Silkies get a walnut-shaped comb, small, dark wattles, or turquoise-blue earlobes. 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. Grey Silkies are more silver than grey, with a sheen over their plumage when viewed in sunlight. I've raised chickens and ducks for eggs and meat for many years. Didn't find what you need? Consider providing your Silkies chickens with layer crumbles instead of pellets, which are too large for the Silkies to swallow without choking. This highly contagious viral disease claims many Silkies annually. Silkie Chickens are identified for being among the most gentle or docile chickens. Silkies are among the few other breeds of chickens that possess five toes instead of the usual four. A Canadian expat, Nicole now lives on a lush forest property with her Kiwi husband and new baby daughter in New Zealand. Below are a couple of health problems that Silkies have. Disclaimer: LearnPoultry does not intend to provide any kind of veterinary suggestion. Lavender Silkie colour genetics - eb/eb s+ or S (rooster can be S/s+) Pg/Pg Ml/Ml lav/lav and recessive blackI think it also depends which colour you use to get the lavender, for example birds that have been bred to black birds will be split for E or ER depending upon the genetics of the black bird. Silkie chickens are pretty small. This is a great gene because (when bred correctly) you can hatch blue, black, or splash babies.I have 2 breeding pens. Back: Male - short, broad from shoulders to saddle, quite rounded its entire length rising gradually from middle of the back towards tail. Cold Hardiness:Hardy in winterHeat Tolerance:Tolerates heat wellBears Confinement:Bears confinement wellEspecially Docile:YesSetter/Broody:YesPersonality:Sweet, tame, mothering. They also possess topknots or crests on their heads and abundant feathers growing down their legs and middle toe. Nonetheless, the disease doesnt claim many Silkies, and it is pretty easy to detect and treat, unlike other health problems. Of all the ornamental chicken breeds, the Silkie Bantam is one of the most popular and beloved, and certainly one of the most entertaining to watch. So arrange the place correctly before those birds are brought home. However, wild Silkies have a shorter lifespan than domestic Silkie chickens. Silkies come in a delightful array of colors: black, blue, buff, gray, partridge, self-blue, splash, and white. Such a mash will provide your Silkies with a complete diet which will be crucial for their growth. The difference between the two is the presence of an additional layer of feathers below their beaks. Vegetables such as kale, cucumber, and lettuce are vital for chickens, including Silkies. How much Niacin does Purina duck feed have? Silkies also come in a Bearded and Non-bearded variety, and can be found in many different colors. Silkies that get wet are at risk of getting hypothermia. A post shared by Blacksmith Farm (@blacksmithfarm). Is the splash a standard color for Silkies? Yes, silkie chickens are pretty friendly. The training is in their gene so they efficiently sit on their eggs and hatch their eggs. Yes, Silkie chicken eggs are suitable for consumption. Help! Buy 10 for $5.30 ea. The same thing which makes them fluffy is the same factor that causes one such issue-they have no barbs to hold it down their fur. IMO, there are none yet although a few breeders are getting very close. It is also essential for egg development. Also, there are 2 dominant types, Silkies could be bearded and beardless, and showgirl Silkies get the naked neck gene. 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. Silkies will occasionally need to keep warm in the cold weather, and installing a heat lamp in your birds coop will provide your Silkies with enough heat to keep them warm. Silkie chickens need a proper diet like other chicken breeds. The lavender color does not exist naturally in Silkies and must be introduced by another breed. Yes, Silkie chickens are pretty easy to care for. Most importantly, Silkies need a secure coop that is free from predators. I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes from tending my flock. Silkies have multiple recognized color varieties: Partridge, Red, Splash, Self-blue, Black, Blue, Buff, White, and then all the colors above, though variants do not extend for showcasing.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'chickenjournal_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_8',165,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-chickenjournal_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); Throughout the United Kingdom, there are 5 standardized shades. Bearded Silkies have an extra muff of feathers under the beak area that covers the earlobes. We are not liable for any harm or losses caused because of our content. Because of their gentle and docile nature, they make wonderful pets and adapt quickly to attention and handling by people. Silkies come in two distinct variations: bearded and non-bearded. They have turquoise earlobes, five- or six-toed feet, black muscles, and bones, with dark beaks, combs, and wattles. It is an autosomal, incompletely dominant gene.In America the partridge colour is based on gold, with the addition of Mh. They have lovely clean necks with no beard muffs. Primaries: medium length, well shredded, tapering convexly to stern, tips concealed by saddle feathers. Whether you have concerns about your dog, cat, or other pet, trained vets have the answers! Bantam Hybrid Chickens They are however resilient and robust when being handled by children, they do go very broody and will often sit on an empty clutch so if youre looking for a prolific layer the Silkie is perhaps not for you, they will give you 4-5 small white eggs a week through the summer months, they do not lay in the winter. Head: Moderately small, short, carried so that a line drawn parallel with tip of the tail will bisect the comb. Thanks to their tiny size, silkie chickens need much smaller cages than other chickens. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Protein helps Silkie hens lay highly nutritious eggs. Hocks: covered with soft and silky feathers curving inwards about the hocks.Shanks: rather short, stout in bone, well feathered on the outer sides with silky plumage, the upper part growing out from thigh plumage and continuing into foot feathering. They have small feet or wide colored gray. They will even go broody without the presence of eggs. The primary feathering is like a frequent chickens bottom. The original Silkies were white only, but through meticulous and vigilant breeding by some dedicated fanciers the colors are becoming much better in quality than they were. Nesting boxes- Keep for your silkies a few nesting boxes within the coop. Thanks! Help! Their skin, beaks, toes, and legs are all black too. Black Silkies can be bred by breeding a blue and a splash Silkie, a blue and a black Silkie, and of course, two black Silkies. 2. Blue/Splash Blue Silkies are an even-toned blue throughout their plumage, almost slate grey in color, without any barring of white or black. Partridge Silkie chicks are typically born with stripes and will develop into partridge variations. I get numerous requests from people looking for pullets, however, the key to breeding all cuckoos is the male. WE DO NOT ACCEPT ANY LIABILITY ARISING FORM SUCH ERRORS, OMISSIONS, LOST OF DATA, INTERRUPTIONS OR DELAYS OR ANY ONGOING OBLIGATION OR RESPONSIBILITY TO OPERATE THIS WEBSITE OR IN THE PROVISION OF ITS SERVICES. The Silkie hens lay about 100-120 eggs per year. Cuckoo/Splash or A.O.C Silkies can only be entered into the non-standard Silkie class at shows.Silkies appear in two distinct varieties: bearded and non-bearded. --------------------------------------------------Disqualifications: * More or less than 5 toes* Absence of beard or muffs. Silkie chickens are among the most adorable and docile chicken breeds. Other variants: red, cuckoo, lavender, and porcelain. All be it with the wrong comb. Coop & Run - Design, Construction, & Maintenance. Rest of the description same as the male. gold and even blue! The breed has several other unusual qualities, such as black skin and bones, blue earlobes, and five toes on each foot, whereas most chickens only have four. Silkie baby chicks are more likely to get wet than adult Silkies since they dont have thick feathers like their adult counterparts. WebBlue Silkie Bantam Chicks, Not Sexed No reviews yet $5.50. The dominant white gene needs to be introduced from another breed, such as white leghorn.Naked neck Silkies, usually know as Showgirls, are not currently an official Silkie variety in the ABA, or APA standards. Size & Weight. Currently, the obvious faults and areas of improvement are: red combs, light skin colouring, light eyes, overall type and confirmation.Cuckoos are a fun gene to work with. Below are a couple of tips on taking proper care of your Silkie chickens. Since the American Silkie is a bantam (small breed) the eggs are not huge about medium in size ranging in colors from white to light brown. Nicole is the proud mom of 3 rescue fur babies, Baby, a Burmese cat; Rosa, a New Zealand Huntaway; and Mac, a Lab/Mastiff. Although Silkie chickens are simple, fun, or affordable to bring as pets, sickly chickens can be obtained, which helps make it much harder or more costly to keep the flock healthy. Female - short, very shredded at ends, well spread at base, filled underneath with an abundance of soft feathers which are overlapped by cushion and coverts, the whole forming a duplex curve with back and cushion. There are also alternate hues, like cuckoo, lavender, red, or splash. Saddle: Male - Rising from back at base of cape, very broad and round, plumage profuse and long, lower saddle feathers flowing over tips of wings and mingling with fluff. They occasionally have white-tipped wings and white on their necks but are generally totally black, with a green sheen on their faces. Bearded - very small, concealed by beard., natural absence preferred. The meat of silkie chicken is often used in Chinese medicine, as this is rich in such a carnitine-carnitine will have anti-aging effects. Proof the coop to discourage predators from attacking your Silkies. The condition can also hinder Silkie hens from laying eggs. Learn Poultry Chickens Chicken Breeds Silkie Chickens Breed Profile & Facts. Silkies are known for their black and delicious meat. Silkies are very well recognized for their quiet, friendly temperament, in relation to their unique physical features. Their tendencies towards broodiness or setting are unsurpassed and Silkie hens will hatch and raise most any kind of poultry or game fowl. There are some other colors, like Red, Splash, Cuckoo, and Lavender. 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