Silkie Broiler Details
Can also be found as part of the Happy Homestead Special
Silkie Broilers, also known as Taihe chickens, Black Meat Chickens, or Silkies Chickens, are popular meat birds in the Asian Market. Highly sought after for their gourmet dark meat, skin, and bones, these meat birds are the perfect option to fill a growing trend. Besides the skin and meat, Silkie Broilers will NOT live up to the feathering expectations of a silkie. They are raised solely for meat production.
Silkies lack barbicels, which is what gives the feathers their fur-like appearance. They will need extra protection from the rain because their feathers tend to soak up water instead of rolling off. They will also need extra protection from the elements over the winter.
Production: Silkies are known for their atypical feathers, as well as their unusual meat bird properties. Silkies have blackish gray meat, skin, and dark gray bones. Silkies lay about 90 to 120 small cream or “tinted” eggs per year. Silkies are also very broody and are often acquired for their egg-setting abilities. They are wonderful mothers and will hatch out just about any egg you put underneath them. Silkies broilers are typically raised 4-6 months before processing and will reach 3-5 pounds.
Temperament: Silkies are very friendly and docile and can also be a very popular pet chicken.
History: Silkie has a rich history of Chinese tradition, folklore, and culture. Their dark meat, skin, and bones are believed to have medicinal qualities. Traditionally, the meat and skin were eaten, and then bones were used for stock. The bones were then ground into powder and turned into a variety of medicines. Recent studies have shown that there may even be some truth to this--the dark meat, skin, and bones are rich in antibodies. The stock is also well known for increasing fertility.
Color: Our Silkie Broilers have white feathers. They have blackish-blue legs and feet with five toes, black skin and bones, and dark faces and bills. Comb and wattles are a dark mulberry color.
Conservation Status: n/a
Weight: At 12 weeks, Silkie Broilers will have a live weight of around 3 pounds and will process out around 2. If allowed to grow longer, males can reach weights of 5 pounds and females 3 pounds.
