Black Silkie

Me in 2023: I'm not gonna lie, Silkies are my least favorite chicken (eek- I said it!). I'll tell you why- they just aren't great for wet Pacific Northwest life and my true loves are more utilitarian-type chickens (lookin' at you, Dominiques). 

Me in 2025 after a year with our black silkie, Crow: As in eat crow because that's what I've been doing ever since. She's so great! She holds her own in a large, mostly utilitarian-type mixed flock and chooses the dry spaces when the weather is wet. Crow is annoyingly broody and this is a tried and true silkie trait. Because she's always so busy trying to hatch other's eggs, she lays very few of her own. It's a pleasure to pluck her from the nest box though because her feathers are so soft and she makes the sweetest purring sounds. For silkies not hatching eggs or caring for chicks, it's important to remove them from the nest box daily for a water, food and bathroom break. 

Silkies are unique birds that have silky-soft feathers, similar to down. These feathers do not hold in much heat, keep heat out or shed water. Because of this, Silkie chickens should be kept in a dry, protected run (or in the house!) to keep them comfortable. These tiny birds do make great pets as they are known for being very calm and gentle. All Silkies have a crest (feathered topknot) with some having beards and some not. Silkies will lay 0-4 tiny cream colored eggs/week and are known for being broody. If a snuggly pet chicken is what you're after and you have a well protected coop and run, these birds may be for you!

NOTE- most bantam breeds of chickens are offered straight run, or unsexed, making it a 50/50 hen/rooster ratio. Flock City bantams are sexed to 90% accuracy (90/10 hen/rooster ratio) reflecting the higher price point. These birds also come with a sex accuracy guarantee. If you suspect a cockerel, and the chick is at least 14 weeks old, you send me a picture so we can determine together. If yes to a cockerel, I send the pics to the hatchery and we both get 50% of our money back.