Silkie Chickens
Fluffy, gentle, and irresistibly charming. The Silkie is one of the best pet chicken breeds around, calm enough for even the youngest keepers.
Silkies are a small, exceptionally gentle breed known for fur-like feathers, five toes instead of the usual four, and a temperament calm enough for young children. They're not prolific layers, producing around 100 to 120 small cream or tinted eggs a year, but they make up for it with personality and famously strong mothering instincts. We breed backyard quality Silkies on our farm, with well-started birds available periodically throughout the year. Join our waitlist below to find out when birds are ready.
Some breeds are kept for eggs. Silkies are kept for everything else. Between the fur-like feathers, the extra toe, and a temperament calm enough to sit on a child's lap, it's easy to see why they've become one of the most popular pet chicken breeds in Australia.
We breed backyard quality Silkies on our farm and work with trusted transport partners to get well-started birds to keepers across the country.
The origin of Silkie chickens
Silkies are one of the oldest recognised chicken breeds, with roots in Asia stretching back centuries. Marco Polo described "chickens with fur-like feathers" during his 13th-century travels, in what's widely believed to be one of the earliest written references to the breed.
The breed made its way to Europe by the mid-1800s and was formally recognised in the American Standard of Perfection in 1874. What sets Silkies apart structurally is a genetic trait called polydactyly, which gives them five toes on each foot instead of the usual four, alongside dark, almost black skin beneath all that fluff.
In Australia, Silkies are recognised in both standard and bantam sizes under the Australian Poultry Standards, unlike some countries where only the bantam variety is recognised. We breed standard-sized Silkies on our farm.
Silkie hens and pullets
Silkie hens are about as gentle as chickens get. They're calm, curious, and genuinely enjoy being handled, which is part of why they're such a popular choice for families with young children.
They're not prolific layers, producing around 100 to 120 small cream or tinted eggs a year, but what they lack in egg numbers they make up for in mothering instinct. Silkie hens go broody readily and are known for reliably hatching and raising chicks, including eggs from other breeds.
Our well-started Silkie pullets are raised on our own feed, with the shelter and dry ground this breed needs to stay healthy, so they're settled and confident before they join your coop.
Silkie roosters
Silkie roosters carry the same fluffy, fur-like plumage as the hens, along with the breed's distinctive crest and, often, a full beard. They're generally calm and rarely aggressive, with a softer crow than most breeds.
Fully matured roosters are still a small bird by chicken standards, and their gentle nature means they're a reasonable choice for a family backyard, though like any rooster, early handling helps.
A few things to know before you bring a Silkie home
Silkie feathers aren't waterproof, so they need a dry, sheltered coop and protection from wet weather. They don't do particularly well in extreme heat either, so shade matters over an Australian summer.
Because they're so gentle, Silkies can be bullied by pushier breeds. They do best alongside other calm birds, such as Faverolles, or kept as their own flock.
They're not big foragers and won't range far from the coop, so their claws may need occasional trimming, since they don't wear down naturally the way free-ranging breeds do.
Why choose Silkie chickens?
Verified breed trait
A genetic trait called polydactyly gives Silkies five toes instead of the usual four.
Family friendly
Calm enough to be handled by young children without fuss.
Natural mothers
Reliable sitters, often used to hatch eggs from other breeds too.
DISTINCTIVE BY DESIGN
Feathers that lack the barbs holding normal feathers together.
SUITS SMALL YARDS
Quiet, don't fly, and don't need much space to be content.
Ready to buy backyard quality Silkie chickens in Australia?
We breed backyard quality Silkie chicks, pullets, and well-started birds periodically throughout the year. As with all of our birds, availability depends on hatching season and demand.
If you'd like to be one of the first to know when Silkies are ready, join our waitlist and we'll be in touch. Got a question before then? We're always happy to talk chooks. Get in touch and we'll help you work out whether a Silkie is the right fit for your yard.
Join Our Backyard Waitlist →Frequently asked questions
Where do Silkie chickens come from?
Silkies are an ancient breed with roots in Asia. Marco Polo described birds with fur-like feathers during his 13th-century travels, and the breed was formally recognised in the American Standard of Perfection in 1874.
Are Silkies good for beginners and kids?
Yes. They're exceptionally gentle and easy to handle, which is part of why they're one of the most recommended breeds for families and first-time keepers.
How many eggs do Silkies lay?
Around 100 to 120 small cream or tinted eggs a year. They're not bred for egg numbers, and hens that go broody, which is often, will lay even less while they're sitting.
Do Silkies get along with other chicken breeds?
They can, but they're gentle birds that are often bullied by pushier breeds. They do best alongside similarly calm breeds, or kept as their own flock.
Do Silkies need any special care?
Their feathers aren't waterproof, so they need dry, sheltered housing, and they don't do well in extreme heat. They're also poor foragers, so their claws may need occasional trimming.
Are Silkies good mothers?
Very. They're famously broody and reliable sitters, often used to hatch eggs from other breeds as well as their own.
Do you deliver chickens Australia-wide?
We don't deliver birds ourselves. Local pickup is available from our designated pickup point in Bargo, NSW. For biosecurity reasons, the farm itself isn't open to visitors. For keepers further away, we meet your chosen transport company to get birds safely on their way, anywhere in Australia.
Do you sell fertile eggs?
No, we don't sell eggs of any kind, fertile or otherwise. We sell chicks, pullets, and well-started birds, from day-old through to point of lay.
Join Our Backyard Poultry Waitlist
Tell us a bit about your yard and we'll let you know the moment Silkies are ready to go.