Cool facts about silkies and why we think they are people's favourite chicken!
Silkies have to be one of my favourite breeds. They are cute and fluffy and really docile birds. Are they great layers? No! Do they clock and sit on eggs at every opportunity? Yes! However they are a wonderful addition to any flock and who can say that they aren't adorable! Here are some fun facts about why silkies are so cool!
1: They have an extra toe! Most chicken breeds have four toes but true silkies have five and some have ever been known to have 6!
2: Their skin is black and so are their bones and because of this are considered a delicacy in certain food circles. These traits they share with a few other chicken breeds including the Ayam Cemani.
3: They have turquoise earlobes. Now how many people can brag about that! Not all of them have this unique colour but a lot do. No they are not cold it's just the colour they develop when reaching maturity.
4: They make amazing mothers. Silkies love mothering! They go broody at every opportunity and in my experience adopt other chicks very easily. You will usually find that they lay a small amount of eggs and then go broody. On average they only lay 90-120 eggs a year but if you want an excellent mother then the silkie is the bird for you.
5: They have soft feathers and this is what causes the fluffy look. However this can mean they are not particularly hardy in bad and adverse weather conditions.
Overall silkies are one of the coolest chicken breeds in the world.
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