Although cats and dogs are the most common pets out there, they are by no means the only ones. Pocket pets and other exotics are also very popular animals, and among them one new pet is rising in popularity: Chickens.

Chickens make great pets. They are easy to take care of, require very little maintenance, and also provide eggs to their caretakers. There are hundreds of different breeds of chickens out there, but if you want a pet that is cuddly as well as productive, you can’t beat the Silkie.

An Ancient Breed

Silkies didn’t appear in the US until the 1870s, but their history goes back for centuries. Their true history is difficult to track, but were often referred to as the ‘Japanese Silky’ in Europe and other places where the breed was popular. Marco Polo was the first to mention the breed, all the way back to the 13th century.

Although the beginnings of this breed are lost to time, it is without a doubt one of the oldest known chicken breeds.

An ideal pet for children

Silkies are well known for their soft feathers, more like hair than real feathers. They have an unusually mild temperment, and are one of the few chickens that enjoy being petted, cuddled, and carried around. This is why they are recommended as pets for children above all other chicken breeds.

These breeds are characters, and enjoy chatting with their humans, and following their favorites around.

Possible Apartment Pets

Silkies lend themselves well to being apartment animals. A couple of hens can be diapered and allowed to free roam, staying in a crate when not diapered. They adjust well to being indoor animals, because silkies do not enjoy being cold or wet in any way.

Silkies are sensitive to poor weather, and need a warm cozy place to stay if temperatures get cold. A weather tight coop is a must for silkies, and they need a dry area to stay in so they can avoid getting too wet. A high protein diet during the winter can also help them gain enough weight to deal well with the cold.

Not good layers

An individual silkie will lay 100 to 120 eggs in a year. This is a modest amount compared to some highly productive breeds that can lay over 300 a year. They are modest in egg laying in part because they were not bred to be industrial layers, but also because they are such good mothers.

Unlike many chickens where “broodiness” has been bred out of them so they will lay more, silkies still have this instinct. Every few weeks to months, a hen will make a nest, settle down, and refuse to move. Even when eggs are promptly removed, it can be difficult to get them to snap out of this broodiness.

Silkies are prized for this ability, and are often used as replacement mothers for other species, including ducks!

If you’re looking for a gentle pet that is loving and kind, and also leaves you with a few bonus eggs, a silkie makes a wonderful family pet.

https://silkie.org/history-and-origin-of-the-silkie.html

https://www.muranochickenfarm.com/2018/02/you-should-raise-silkies.html