Yes, Silkies are friendly, very friendly. Almost all backyard chickens are friendly (a few roosters aside!), but Silkies, in particular, are known for their docile, calm, friendly, and personable temperament.
This combined with the fact that Silkies have a unique, fluffy, and cute appearance makes them one of the most interesting and appreciated breeds of chickens.
If you’re considering getting some Silkies, or maybe you’re just interested to learn more about these fuzzy little chickens, here’s an introduction to Silkies and their lovable personalities:
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How Friendly Are Silkies?
First of all, if you haven't raised chickens before you need to know that there is a big difference between the personalities and temperaments of hens and roosters (female and male chickens).
Typically, a flock only has 1 rooster for every 5+ hens, so for the purpose of this article, I’ll be talking about the personalities of hens for the most part.
Let’s get something straight off the top; within the backyard chicken community, Silkie hens are known for their calm and friendly personalities.
Silkies are extremely friendly and personable.
Often treated as more of an ornamental bird or household pet than a backyard chicken, Silkies are not your average chickens.
Due to being smaller than average chickens - especially the bantam variety - and having that unique fuzzy coat of soft feathers, owners tend to spend more time fussing and petting silkies than other chickens.
And they love the attention.
Whether you’re looking for a pet that’s a little different or a chicken that enjoys human interaction and is a lot of fun, Silkies are the breed you’re looking for.
If you’re interested to learn more about Silkies and get a closer look at these cute little chickens, here’s a video:
Related - A look at Silkie's combs and wattles.
Do Silkie Chickens Like to Be Petted?
Keeping in mind that chickens have individual personalities, generally speaking, silkies do like to be petted, yes.
The same can be said for chickens of just about any breed variety, but silkies definitely enjoy being fussed and petted more the most chickens.
It's a lot more fun petting silkies than other chickens, too, because they have such soft and fuzzy feathers.
Personally, I think that just like dogs and cats, it's definitely a two-way thing and silkies enjoy being petted and having their feathers stroked.
Running a comb or a brush through a silkie is also a good way to keep their feathers in good condition and check that they don't have any mites or any other unwanted surprises hiding out their plumage. It's a win-win.
Are Silkie Chickens Aggressive?
Silkie hens are not known for being aggressive, not at all. This doesn't mean that they are not capable of being aggressive though.
Hens have their own personalities, so it's possible that you'll have a moody hen now and then.
It's also possible that a hen will lash out if they feel threatened or have been mistreated. They are capable of dishing out a hard peck and scratching with their claws as all hens are.
Roosters on the other hand present a different challenge. It’s their role within the flock to protect the hens, as well as being possessive over them.
Not only are roosters bigger than hens, but they also have spurs on the back of their legs.
Spurs are basically a hard bone with a spike on that looks like another toe or claw. Roosters use their spurs during fights with other roosters and animals and can cause some serious injuries with them.
Do Silkies Like to Cuddle?
Again, generally speaking, silkies do like to cuddle. They're even described as lap chickens by some owners and will happily sit on your lap and enjoy some petting.
This is even more welcome by the fact that they have such soft feathers and are a joy to cuddle with.
It’s obvious from pictures that their feathers are not like those of other chickens. This is because Silkie feathers do not have the barbicels (the rigid spine-like parts) that regular feathers have.
The result is that all the individual bits of feathers are able to move around freely. Giving Silkie’s coats’ a feeling more like fair or fur than a feather.
Are Silkie Chickens Good for Beginners?
Yes, Silkies are one of the best breeds of backyard chicken for beginners.
One of the best things about their friendly temperaments is that Silkies are great for kids and busy households with other pets.
They're also very easy to care for. Chickens in general are not difficult to care for, but being a little smaller and more personable, Silkies are easy to look after.
As long as you provide plenty of good feed, fresh drinking water, a secure roof over their heads at night, and some space to roam during the day, you'll have happy Silkies and a lot of fun raising them.
Not having proper features also means that Silkies cannot fly at all. Chickens are not great at flying, but some breeds are able to scale some pretty tall fences when determined.
However, Silkies are firmly grounded. This is another huge plus if you don’t have the most robust backyard setting and are concerned about them escaping.
Something else that is often not talked about enough is that Silkies also lay eggs. Small eggs admittedly, but around 100-120 white-shelled eggs per year.
So, you’re going to get a steady supply of white eggs if you have a number of hens in your flock.
Related - How high can chickens fly?
In Summary
There you have it, I'm not even being biased when I say that silkies are one of the best breeds of backyard chickens for beginners and experienced chicken farmers alike.
They're one of the friendliest chickens. They're not the choice if you're looking for a constant supply of large eggs or a meat chicken, they're more of a lovable family pet than anything else.
Resources
Image credits - Image by Michel Jessat from Pixabay
