Silkie Chicken

Full-grown Silkie

Isn't it gorgeous!  Let me tell you some of what I have learned about Silkies. They have black skin and the meat is black too.  In some parts of Asia, their meat is used for medicinal purposes and is believed to have some sort of healing powers. Soup is made from the black meat and black bones. Aparently, they have a fifth toe as well!

Silkies don't lay eggs as abundantly as other breeds commonly found around here, but they apparently make great pets because they don't mind being handled, unlike the other chickens. They are also known to act broody towards other hens' eggs and do a lot of "baby-sitting" or "egg-sitting" for other hens.

Mine are starting to get a little fuzzy and I can't wait until they grow fluffy like this one in the photo.  It is weird to see the thick feathers on their feet.  

My brown chicks are Ameraucanas.  They have a beard, no ear tufts, and a pea comb (small and close to the head).  They lay blue and green eggs.  I just can't wait for those!  One of my hens began laying bluish-coloured eggs last fall but I haven't seen any since.  I think those came from a chicken that my nephew gave me which he found in his friend's back yard in "town."  It was only since that one came into my hen house that the blue eggs started appearing, so I am assuming it was that one.  There is no difference in the egg quality or colour inside,  just the different colour shells.

Stay tuned.