Fluffy Chickens

The silkie (sometimes spelled Silky) chicken is an old breed of poultry that originated in Southeast Asia sometime before the 1200s; the breed is aptly named for its fluffy plumage that is said to feel like silk. Silkies are also unique because of their dark blue flesh and bones, blue earlobes, five (as opposed to four) toes on each foot, and their inability to fly. It is quite difficult to tell the difference between male and female silkie chicks because they take longer to mature than most other chicken breeds; however, once they are mature, males (roosters) and females (hens) do have some distinct differences including: roosters tend to be larger than hens, the comb will be larger on a male than on a female, and males will crow while females will lay eggs.