Last updated: September 2026
Quick answer: Silkies are small, exceptionally docile ornamental chickens with fur-like plumage, black skin and bones, and five toes instead of four. They lay only 100-120 small cream eggs a year and start late, at 7-9 months. Their real value is temperament and broodiness: they are the best natural mothers in poultry and will hatch almost any egg you put under them.
What makes a Silkie a Silkie
Silkies break most of the rules other chickens follow, and the differences are not cosmetic. Each one has a practical consequence.
| Trait | Silkie | Normal chicken | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feather structure | No barbicels, so feathers do not zip together | Interlocking, waterproof | Silkies get soaked to the skin in rain |
| Flight | Cannot fly at all | Most can flutter several feet | Low fences work, but no escape from predators |
| Toes | Five | Four | Breed-defining trait |
| Skin, bone and meat | Black or dark blue | White or yellow | Fibromelanosis; prized in Asian cuisine |
| Comb | Walnut, dark mulberry | Single, rose, pea | Very frostbite-resistant |
| Earlobes | Turquoise blue | White or red | Unique in poultry |
| Legs | Feathered, dark | Usually clean, yellow | Traps mud; needs dry ground |
| Crest | Large pouf over the head | None | Restricts vision from above |
The feather structure is the single most important fact about keeping them. Ordinary chicken feathers have tiny hooks called barbicels that zip the barbs together into a waterproof sheet. Silkie feathers have none, which is why they look like fur, and it means a Silkie in the rain gets wet to the skin and can become genuinely hypothermic. That one detail drives most of their care requirements.
Origin and history
Silkies are ancient. Marco Polo recorded seeing chickens with “fur” during his travels in China in the 13th century, which is the earliest clear Western reference, and the breed is thought to have originated in China or elsewhere in Southeast Asia well before that.
They reached Europe by the 1700s, at which point some traders reportedly sold them as the offspring of a chicken and a rabbit, which says something about how strange they looked at the time. The American Poultry Association recognised the breed in 1874.
The black flesh has real cultural significance rather than being a novelty. Silkie meat, known as wu gu ji, has been used in Chinese cooking and traditional medicine for centuries, and it still commands a premium in Asian markets.
Egg production
| Metric | Silkie |
|---|---|
| Eggs per year | 100-120 |
| Eggs per week | 2-3 |
| Egg size | Small |
| Egg colour | Cream, tinted or very light brown |
| Point of lay | 7-9 months |
| Winter laying | Poor |
Be clear-eyed about this: a Silkie is not an egg bird. Roughly 110 small eggs a year against 280 large ones from a good hybrid is not a small gap, and she takes twice as long to start. If eggs are your goal, buy from the best egg-laying breeds instead, or keep a couple of Silkies alongside real layers.
The late start catches people out too. Most breeds lay at 18-24 weeks, as covered in when chickens start laying eggs. A Silkie may take 30-36 weeks, and if she goes broody the moment she starts, you may see very few eggs indeed. Their cream shells sit at the pale end of the range explained in chicken egg colors.
The best broody hens in poultry
This is the Silkie’s genuine superpower, and it is why serious breeders keep them even though they lay almost nothing.
Silkies go broody constantly, sit reliably for the full term, and are attentive, gentle mothers. Where most modern breeds have had broodiness selected out of them, the Silkie kept it, and she will hatch and raise almost anything you slip under her: other chickens’ eggs, bantams, ducks, quail, guinea fowl, even pheasant.
A practical note if you use one this way. A Silkie is small, so she covers about 6-8 standard chicken eggs comfortably. Overloading her means eggs on the outside of the clutch get cold and fail. And a broody hen loses condition, so a hen that is allowed to sit clutch after clutch all season needs watching for weight loss.
The trade-off is that broodiness is not optional. If you do not want chicks, you will spend part of every summer breaking her off the nest. The techniques, and which other breeds share the habit, are in the broodiest chicken breeds. Note you also need a rooster for any of those eggs to be fertile, as explained in do chickens need a rooster.
Temperament
Silkies are, by broad agreement, the most docile chickens commonly kept. They are calm, trusting, tolerant of handling, quiet, and genuinely enjoy human company in a way most chickens do not. Children who would be knocked about by a Rhode Island Red can carry a Silkie around without difficulty.
That gentleness has a cost. Silkies sit at the bottom of every pecking order and are frequently bullied by more assertive breeds. The crest restricts their upward vision, so they often do not see a peck coming. Mixing them with Rhode Island Reds or other confident birds regularly ends badly, and if you do it, follow the careful process in introducing new chickens.
If you want a mixed flock, pair them with other calm breeds from our friendliest chicken breeds list, and give everyone more space than the minimum. They are also among the quietest breeds, which makes them a reasonable choice in a suburban garden.
Silkie roosters are worth a mention as an exception to the usual rule: they are typically far less aggressive than roosters of most breeds, and many people keep one without incident.
Size and varieties
| Measure | Hen | Rooster |
|---|---|---|
| Weight (US bantam) | 2 lbs (0.9 kg) | 3 lbs (1.4 kg) |
| Weight (European large fowl) | 3-4 lbs | 4-5 lbs |
| Class | Bantam (APA) | Bantam (APA) |
In the United States the Silkie is classed as a bantam. In parts of Europe a larger standard-size Silkie is bred, which confuses people comparing sources. Either way they are small birds and belong with the other small chicken breeds and bantams for space planning.
APA-recognised colours are black, blue, buff, grey, partridge, splash and white. Lavender, paint and others exist but are not all recognised. Both bearded (with an extra muff of feathers under the beak) and non-bearded varieties are standard.
Special care they genuinely need
Silkies are not difficult, but they need things other chickens do not. Skipping these is how people lose them.
1. They must stay dry. This is the big one. Non-waterproof feathers mean rain soaks them to the skin and they chill fast. They need a covered run, a dry coop and shelter they will actually use. Never let a Silkie stay wet in cold weather, and dry a soaked bird with a towel.
2. Cold is a real risk despite the fluff. People assume all that plumage insulates. It does, while dry. Wet, it is worse than useless. The walnut comb resists frostbite well, but a damp Silkie in freezing weather is in trouble, so a dry draft-free coop matters even more here than usual. See keeping chickens warm in winter.
3. Check for mites more often. Dense, fluffy feathering is ideal habitat and makes infestations harder to spot early. Inspect monthly after dark, following the method in chicken mites.
4. Trim the crest if it blocks vision. A bird that cannot see upward cannot see a hawk, cannot find food easily and gets bullied. A careful trim around the eyes solves it.
5. Keep feathered feet out of mud. Leg feathering picks up mud and droppings, which cake and cause skin problems. Dry ground or deep clean bedding.
6. Predator protection matters more. They cannot fly, cannot see well upward, and will not run from much. They are the easiest bird in your flock to catch. A fully covered run is close to essential, as covered in protecting chickens from predators.
Feeding is otherwise standard: a 16-18% layer ration with free-choice oyster shell, per what chickens eat. Lifespan is typically 7-9 years, which is good, and the reasons behind that are in how long chickens live.
Good for beginners?
Yes as pets, no as your only flock.
If you want gentle, manageable birds that children can handle and you are not counting on eggs, Silkies are excellent and very hard to dislike. They are forgiving of handling mistakes and their small size makes everything easier.
If you got chickens for eggs, a flock of only Silkies will disappoint you badly. The common and sensible arrangement is a few Silkies for character and broodiness alongside solid layers. If you want productive beginner birds, our best breeds for beginners list is the better starting point, and the Easter Egger is a good middle ground with real output.
Chicks cost $5-$15 from hatcheries, with show-quality birds from breeders considerably more. Note that Silkie chicks are difficult to sex accurately and even experienced keepers often cannot tell until 4-6 months, so straight-run is common. Our brooder guide covers rearing them.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Exceptionally docile, ideal with children | Only 100-120 small eggs a year |
| Best natural broody and mother in poultry | Late to start laying at 7-9 months |
| Quiet and suburb-friendly | Feathers are not waterproof; must stay dry |
| Small, needs little space | Cannot fly; very vulnerable to predators |
| Cannot fly over fences | Bottom of every pecking order, bullied easily |
| Frostbite-resistant walnut comb | Constant broodiness if you do not want chicks |
| Roosters rarely aggressive | Hard to sex; mites hide in the dense fluff |
Frequently asked questions
How many eggs do Silkies lay?
Around 100 to 120 small cream or tinted eggs a year, roughly 2 to 3 a week. They are ornamental and broody birds rather than layers.
Why do Silkies have black skin and bones?
A genetic condition called fibromelanosis causes extra pigment to develop throughout the connective tissue, turning skin, bones and meat dark blue-black. It is harmless to the bird and the meat is prized in Chinese cuisine.
Can Silkie chickens fly?
No. Their feathers lack the barbicels that lock normal feathers into a solid surface, so they cannot generate lift. A low fence contains them, but they also cannot escape predators.
Are Silkies good for beginners?
Yes as pets, provided you are not relying on them for eggs. They are exceptionally docile and easy to handle. Most keepers pair a few Silkies with productive layers rather than keeping Silkies alone.
Do Silkies need special care?
Yes. They must be kept dry because their plumage is not waterproof and they chill quickly when soaked. They also need extra predator protection, more frequent mite checks, and sometimes a crest trim so they can see.
Are Silkies cold hardy?
Only while dry. Their walnut comb resists frostbite well, but wet Silkie feathers lose all insulating value, so a damp bird in freezing weather is at real risk. A dry, well-ventilated coop is essential.
How long do Silkie chickens live?
Typically 7 to 9 years, which is good for a chicken. Low egg output means far less reproductive strain than on a production layer.
Why do Silkies have five toes?
It is a breed-defining genetic trait carried since antiquity. Most chickens have four toes; Silkies, Dorkings, Houdans and a few other breeds have five.
Comparing breeds? Browse every profile in our chicken breeds guide, and see bantam chickens if small birds suit your space.