8/9/2023 0 Comments Silkie chicken feet![]() ![]() Also look in poultry magazines for breeders local to you, or go to poultry shows and hunt out the breed stand.This is a task that most people don’t think about when they become chicken owners.Some genuine sellers there, but more who will sell you infertile eggs orīirds which are not the breed they're supposed to be. Avoid websites such as e-bay or Craigslist.Someone who is producing good, healthy birds will talk enthusiastically – even passionately – about them. If you want chickens true to the breed, look out for the characteristics described above in the flock of the person you're buying from.There are a lot of chickens out there described as a specific breed when they're actually a hybrid. As with any poultry, buy from a reputable breeder.(This is an " affiliate link", which means that if you click and buy something, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you) Other sources of Silkies. See their choice of Silkie chickens, here. They will provide all stages from hatching eggs to chicks and adult chickens, and can send either sexed or non-sexed, depending on age and breed. If you live in the US, I recommend the Cackle Hatchery as providers of a wide variety of high quality chicken breeds. If you'd like to know more about Showgirls, there's a fun Facebook group about them at this link. To be a true Showgirl, though, the chicken must have no feathering at all from the back of the head down to where the neck and the back join. They have typical Silkie downy feathering, dark skin, and many of the Silkie characteristics, particularly the broodiness. Showgirls, which are very popular both as a pet and a show bird in the USA but hardly known at all anywhere else, are a cross between a Silkie and a Naked Neck Turken chicken. Going to the roost cold and wet is a killer for the Silkie. If you live in a climate which has frequent cold, wet spells, Silkies are not the best chicken breed for you.Their feathers may look thick but actually they don't do a good job of keeping Silkies warm, so very cold climates aren't good - unless, again, they can be kept warm and sheltered.For the same reason, they don't like snow.So Silkies don't do well in a wet climate, unless they can be sheltered properly. Because their feathers are more like down, they're not waterproof. ![]() They're more like the down on other birds. Their feathers are not like other chicken feathers.If you intend to place them with others, you need to keep an eye out to make sure that doesn't happen.Because they're so gentle and trusting by nature, they can often be bullied in a flock of other breeds.Today, Silkies are one of the most popular of all chicken breeds for families. In the early 1900s, Silkies were exploited in travelling circuses and side-shows as 'freaks', described as "Chickens with fur instead of feathers". It's thought that he took some Silkies with him and was the first person to introduce them to the western world. He marvelled about seeing a bird with black skin and "hair like a cat" on his travels to China. The first western recording of a Silkie sighting was by Marco Polo, in 1298. It's for that reason the Silkie is still used widely today in Chinese medicines. That belief is justified: recent studies have discovered that the Silkie produces more carnosine, an important anti-oxidant, than other poultry. There's a great deal of information about the Silkie in ancient Chinese writings -eastern cultures have always believed the Silkie to have medicinal powers beyond any other chicken breed. My 'at-a-glance' guide describes this loveable breed, and what you need to provide if you're going to live together in harmony. Before you invest, make sure the Silkie will fit in with your family and your environment. Silkie chickens are exactly as they look - funny, cuddly and very kind.īut they're not suitable for every kind of climate. ![]()
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