Silkie Chickens | Silkie For Sale | Chicken Breeds (2024)

Breed Rating (70 Reviews)

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Silkie History

The origin of the Silkie hen is uncertain although they have been around for several hundred years. It is thought that they originated in India, China or Japan and they arrived in Europe around 200 years ago where they were sold as crosses between rabbits and chickens! They are a lightweight chicken with a broad, stout looking body which is covered in fine fluffy feathers. They have short, rather ragged looking tails and the head is short and neat with an upright and full crest. The beak is short and broad, the face smooth and the eyes black and bright. The comb is circular and described as a mulberry comb and the wattles are concave, semi circular and not particularly long. The legs are purplish blue in colour and they have a fifth toe.

Silkie Behaviour

Silkies do tend towards broodiness and make wonderful mothers despite being rather poor layers. They are calm, friendly, trusting and rather lively birds which are unable to fly so can be kept with very low fencing and they also do very little damage to the garden. They begin laying around Christmas when the hen will happily sit on a clutch of eggs and will still go broody even if her eggs are removed! Silkies are frequently used as foster mothers for other hen's eggs. They stop laying altogether during the summer months. They don't have waterproof feathers so they need to be kept in dry conditions but require little room so can be kept in smaller runs. They are rather susceptible to scaly leg but are robust little chickens and can withstand the cold very well. The black skinned and black boned silkie is considered a delicacy in China where they believe that the ground up bones have special healing properties. They have a lifespan of around 9 years and can be tamed and considered a real pet which makes them especially suitable for children.

Silkie Varieties

Black, blue, gold, white, partridge, triple laced partridge, triple laced silver partridge, grey, cuckoo, red and buff.

Silkie For Sale

Please note: All animals listed here are for collection only. They cannot be delivered by the seller or by Omlet. The seller will send you their contact details to arrange payment and collection.

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Latest Reviews For Silkie (5 of 70)

5 Stars:

66

4 Stars:

3

3 Stars:

1

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1 Star:

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Based on 70 Verified Reviews

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Silkies are the best -Heidi,South Glos,

We’ve had a few different breeds but silkies are undoubtedly my favourite.. my dad wanted chickens again after we lost our last hens a few years ago so I surprised him with 2 silkie hens.. Egwina and Bailey.. they are so funny and are very interested in everything you’re doing. Since then we’ve had a few more silkies and they’ve never been any trouble! Great with the dogs and kids aswell as being great sitters on their eggs.

I like chickens -Lucy,

I really love chickens especially mini alpacas

Silkies-Ellie,

Silkies are very friendly and great with kids, they look so cute and funny, but their feathers are not waterproof as with other breeds, so need adequate shelter from rain.

Got given a silkie co*ckerel &3hens-Andrea,

The funniest chickens ever love them to bits, been reading msg's about them & am very surprised my hens are laying most days ! Thinking I may have a go at hatching some as Mr silkie keeping very active !

cute-Damian,

They are so friendly my two pet Silkies they don't even mind being picked up! There egg production is not good but as I got them for pets I'm not really bothered anyway. I have found that they will NOT perch on the roosting bars and will only sleep together in a nest box so I took the divider out and have it as one big nest box which they sleep together in. They will also never be without one anther and are sad if they are apart!

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Breeder Clubs for Silkie

Silkie Club

Email: thesecretary@thesilkieclub.co.uk

Website: www.thesilkieclubofgreatbritain.co.uk

Silkie Chickens | Silkie For Sale | Chicken Breeds (2024)

FAQs

How much does a Silkie cost? ›

Blue Banty Farm
Females
QtyPrice
0-99$7.00
100-199$6.00
200+$5.00

How many types of Silkie chickens are there? ›

Silkies appear in two distinct varieties: bearded and non-bearded.

Are Silkie chickens worth it? ›

Silkies are docile, gentle and tolerant, so they make great family pets. Even the roosters are more laid back. I've had 3 Silkie roosters and kept them for quite some time. They did really well together, but I defaulted back to my “no rooster” rule.

What color eggs do Silkies lay? ›

Silkie Eggs

Our silkie ladies lay small eggs that are white in color (something off-white/cream). On average, their eggs are 1.5oz (42g). So you might want a few hens laying to have enough for an omelet! Silkies are a popular choice for a backyard flock as they make highly fashionable pets.

Why are silkies so expensive? ›

To raise Silkies for meat, it would cost way more in feed and time to produce a smaller, tougher bird.” Silkie have a rich history of Chinese tradition, folklore, and culture. Their dark meat, skin, and bones are believed to have medicinal qualities.

What is the lifespan of a Silkie chicken? ›

Silkies are relatively long lived for chickens with an average life expectancy of around eight or nine years and they remain productive long after other breeds have stopped laying eggs.

What is the rarest color of Silkie chicken? ›

Time to find out why the lavender Silkie is rare and sought after… Lavender Silkie chickens are a relatively new variety of Silkie. They've been gracing poultry shows since the early 2000s but they're not officially recognized by the American Poultry Association… yet!

Can you eat Silkie chicken eggs? ›

Yes, you can eat Silkie eggs. They taste pretty good as Silkies love to free range and find all sorts of greenery and insects, all of which improve the eggs and especially the bright yellow yolks. Because Silkies are so small, their eggs are also a little smaller but that makes them ideal for a kid's breakfast.

How do you get a blue Silkie? ›

A blue feathering like in blue Silkies is produced when a black-feathered chicken has the blue gene, which dilutes the black color. Two copies of the blue gene result in the splash effect.”

Can you mix Silkies with other chickens? ›

Silkies. Aside from their adorable looks, this breed is known to be among the friendliest! Don't let their small size fool you, silkies can stand their ground in a mixed flock too. They're fun and love to get to know other chickens in their flock, which makes them some of the best chickens to incorporate into a flock.

What size coop do Silkies need? ›

Set up a coop with 3-4 feet each inside the coop and 8-10 feet each in the run. Silkies are small birds so they don't need as much space as larger chickens. That said, if you have the option to give them more space in the coop, do so. They will appreciate the extra room.

Do Silkie chickens get sick easily? ›

Leghorns and light egg-type breeds tend to be more vulnerable to disease than meat type breeds. Silkies in particular, are highly susceptible to Marek's Disease. The percentage of illness and death in a flock can be anywhere from 1% to up to 50%.

What are the pros and cons of a Silkie chicken? ›

Chapter 9: Pros & Cons of Silkie Chickens
ProsCons
Good with kidsSusceptible to live & mites
Relatively quietGo broody often
Great if you're looking to hatch chicksCan get picked on by other chickens
Make for the best petsCan have issues in wet/cold climates
3 more rows
Jun 15, 2023

Are Silkies hard to take care of? ›

Some special care is needed however, because silkies don't tolerate extreme climates very well, especially wet and rainy climates. They look especially pitiful when they get soaked. They also don't lay many eggs, and the eggs aren't very large, so if keeping chickens for food is important, they aren't a suitable breed.

Do Silkies like to cuddle? ›

Silkies love attention, cuddles, and bear confinement well; they are often kept as indoor house birds. The Silkie rooster is generally calm and docile as well. A Silkie rooster also makes an excellent rooster choice for someone just adding a rooster to their flock.

Are Silkies good pets? ›

They are egg-ceptionally friendly, docile and calm, so they make a perfect pet- especially for children. They will happily sit in your little one's lap without hesitation, snuggling up close and lapping up all the love and attention. Just look at thisadorable video of a Silkie rooster and his human sharing a cuddle.

Are Silkies hard to keep? ›

Thanks to their fluffy feathers and docile behavior, silkies are a great starter bird for anyone looking to begin their own backyard flock. Silkies generally require smaller coops than other chickens. They still need plenty of food and water, however. Other than that, these birds have relatively few requirements.

What is the most expensive chicken? ›

The most expensive chicken in the world is known to be Ayam Cemani. Chickens are one of the most delicious parts of our diet. In fact, from its eggs to its meat, it is a great source of protein. There are various breeds of chicken worldwide but did you know that some of the chickens are quite expensive?

Are Silkies more expensive? ›

Silkies are much more difficult to raise than most chicken breeds. They cost more, because they require more time and money in order to successfully breed them.

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