If you were to mix a poodle and a chicken
together, you’d get a one of a kind chicken with fluffy feathers that resemble
a people’s fur. These chickens are called Silkie
Chicken or Chinese Silkie Chicken and have become popular farm pets over
the years.
These chickens are said to have origins in
Asia. However, despite their names, it’s unclear whether they started breeding
them in Japan, China or even India. It’s believed that the explorer Marco Polo
was the one who introduced these birds, among a number of other exports, to
Europe.
One look and you’ll understand why these chickens
are called Silkies. They have a unique look to their feathers which reassembles
soft, silky hair. Unlike most fowls, Silkie's lack barbs on their feathers
which otherwise would hold the tiny strands together. These individual strands
are free of sticking to each other so they flow and move freely.
There are two kinds of Chinese Silkie,
non-bearded and bearded. The Non-bearded ones have large, obvious wattles under
their beaks while bearded Silkies have small wattles and full, fluffy puffs
around their faces.
Both the non-bearded and bearded Silkies
have feathery crest which resembles powder puffs and fleshy combs on the top of
their heads. Male Silkies have larger combs compared to females. They also have
five toes and dark flesh, which is another trait different from most fouls.
Other than their appearance, these chickens
basically eat and act like all other chickens. Owners can feed them regular
chicken pellets or even ground up corn.
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