Silkie chickens are very docile by nature and are prized in China where they probably originated. Marco Polo made note of them in 1298. The Silkies feathers lack the adhesion of the barbs to one another which gives it its silky hair, instead of the normal feather, look. Silkies are the only bantam to have dark "slate-blue" skin. Often refered to as black skin. They also have turquoise blue ear lobes and five toes. They fall into the Bantam Breed and come in the following varieties:
All the above are in a bearded or non-bearded variety. Neither the Splash or the Red are recognized by the American Silkie Club at this time.
