Silkie
Also known as: Silkie Bantam, Chinese Silk Chicken
The fluffy, fur-feathered showstopper of the chicken world, and one of the gentlest breeds you can keep: a tiny bantam with black skin, five toes, and a temperament so calm it is a favorite with children and a classic broody hen for hatching other breeds' eggs. Silkies lay only about 100-120 small cream eggs a year and start late, and their non-waterproof plumage means they need dry, sheltered housing rather than a wet, cold run.
Figures verified against 3 sources. Ranges reflect variation by strain and individual bird.
At a glance
- Eggs / year
- 100–120
- Egg size
- small
- Purpose
- ornamental
- Class
- Bantam
- Hen weight
- 1.75–2 lb
- Rooster weight
- 2–2.25 lb
- Starts laying
- 28–36 weeks
- Lifespan
- 7–9 years
- Comb
- walnut
- Noise
- quiet
- Origin
- China / Asia
- Conservation
- APA recognized
Egg color: Cream Tinted
Temperament & suitability
Appearance
Fluffy, fur-like plumage that cannot fly, a crest, feathered legs, five toes, and black skin/bones. Comes in many colors.
Varieties
The APA recognizes the Silkie only as a bantam in the US, in these colors. Black, white, blue, gray, buff, and partridge come in both bearded and non-bearded forms; splash, self-blue, and paint are the newer additions and are bearded only. Large-fowl Silkies exist under UK and European standards.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Exceptionally gentle and kid-friendly
- Iconic looks
- Superb broody mothers
Cons
- Poor layers
- Fluffy feathers aren't waterproof; need dry shelter
- Frequently go broody
Common questions
How many eggs do Silkies lay?
Roughly 100-120 small cream eggs per year; they are kept for looks and brooding, not production.
Are Silkies good for kids?
Yes, they are among the calmest, most handleable breeds.
When will your Silkie start laying?
Just got chicks? Enter their hatch date and we’ll estimate the first-egg window for a Silkie, based on its point of lay of 28–36 weeks. Hens rarely read the calendar, so treat it as a range.
Similar breeds
Sources
Verified 2026-07-06. US/APA bantam only; both sources give the bantam standard (rooster ~36 oz, hen ~32 oz) and 100-120 eggs/yr. A larger 'large fowl' Silkie exists under UK/European standards. Point-of-lay (28-36 wks) is a breed-type estimate, not from these two sources; Silkies are late layers and broodiness interrupts production.