Scully Poultry · Our Breeds Silkie Bantam Traditional British type with unmistakably soft plumage Breed Overview The Silkie is one of the most distinctive traditional chicken breeds, recognised by its soft, hair-like plumage, crest, feathered legs, dark skin and five toes. Reduced interlocking between the feather barbs gives the breed its characteristic silky texture. Modern American exhibition Silkies have become especially popular and are often bred for very large rounded crests and heavily obscured facial features. British Silkies retain a more traditional expression, with a clearer face, classic mulberry walnut comb and a compact, well-shaped crest. At Scully Poultry all of our lines are bearded and bred primarily towards the British Standard. Some birds are slightly larger, while Paint and widespread Lavender genetics suggest some American influence somewhere in their ancestry. Our ideal remains a sound, compact bird with a full but controlled crest, good fertility and the calm temperament for which Silkies are famous. Breed Characteristic Eggs & Chicks Silkies lay small tinted eggs, but their greatest value to us is as natural mothers. They are our primary broodies, used to hatch eggs and to adopt and rear chicks from other breeds. Shop Silkie Hatching Eggs 01 · Variety White 01 · Variety White White is one of the most classic Silkie colours, with clean pale plumage contrasting strongly against the breed’s dark skin, face and mulberry comb. With little visible pattern to distract the eye, feather quality, crest, beard and overall type become especially important. Our White Silkies are selected for clean colour, compact British type and the same sound structure, fertility and temperament expected throughout the flock. A White Silkie cock showing the contrast between clean white plumage and the dark face and mulberry comb characteristic of the breed. 02 · Variety Blue 02 · Variety Blue Blue Silkies carry soft slate-blue to grey plumage, often varying subtly in shade across the body. The colour particularly suits the rounded outline and soft texture of Silkie feathering. Lavender is also carried in many of our lines. Although genetically separate from Blue, it forms part of our wider colour breeding and can remain hidden until two carriers are paired. A Blue Silkie cock showing the slate-grey expression of the colour across the breed’s characteristic soft plumage. 03 · Variety Paint 03 · Variety Paint Paint Silkies have a predominantly white ground broken by irregular black or blue markings, so each bird develops its own distinctive pattern. Paint is recognised in the United States but not by the British Silkie breed club. Paint has been present since our original Silkies and continues to appear through matings between our other colour lines. We therefore treat it as an established part of our flock while selecting towards the British type we prefer: a visible mulberry walnut comb, clear facial features and a full but compact crest. A Paint Silkie showing the irregular dark markings that make the pattern distinctive to each individual bird.
