History

Chinese Silkies are believed to have originated in Asia, although despite the name, it is unclear whether it was in China, Japan or India. Amongst his many other exploits, Marco Polo is believed to have introduced this bird to the western world sometime between 1254 and 1324.

Appearance

It only takes one look at this chicken to see how it got its name. This soft, hairy-feathered fowl looks unlike most other poultry. The Silkie's feathers lack barbs which would otherwise hold the strands together, thus the individual strands sit free of each other. Each of these strands are approximately 50mm to 75mm long and give the bird a soft and, well, silky appearance.

The Chinese Silkie is available in two types, bearded and non-bearded, and differences are also apparent between males (cocks) and females (hens).

Non-bearded silkies have large wattles (a fleshy appendage) about 25mm-40mm long below the beak. However the hen's wattles are much smaller than the cock's. Bearded Silkies, both male and female, have very small wattles (around 5mm long) and as the name suggests, a full, fluffy beard puffs up around the face.

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