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Silky Fowls. 
buiied in fluff, which is very abundant, and a fine small head. From the top of the head should 
rise a small globular crest. The general style and shape are very attractive. 
I consider Silkies hardy. The chickens are easily reared, and generally very true to their 
parents. They are very moderate layers, but capital sitters. In hatching and rearing Bantams, 
pheasants, or partridges, they are unequalled.” 
The most successful exhibitor of Silkies of late has been Mr. R. S. S. Woodgate, of Tunbridge 
Wells. By the exertions of this gentleman separate classes for Silkies have been established at 
several shows, which have been filled to an extent that astonished even the most sanguine, and 
proving this singular fowl to have been bred to an extent little suspected. He has kindly supplied 
the following remarks and practical notes on Silky fowls : — 
“White Silkies should be great favourites, and are daily becoming such. Every one who has 
had to do with them cannot help speaking highly of them. They are birds which will do well in an 
enclosed run, and will always be cheerful and contented, and this is a great thing, for nothing can 
be more unhappy-looking than a bird moping about with its head sunk almost into its breast, as we 
so often see in the case of a confined bird. But not so with Silkies : they are always on the scratch, 
always looking cheerful and bright, and keep themselves much cleaner than the generality of light- 
coloured birds ; and consequently I can especially recommend this breed to those who only want to 
keep a few birds, and have only a limited space. 
“ But to rearers of pheasants and the more delicate breeds of poultry are Silkies pre-eminently 
useful : first, because they are such admirable sitters ; and, secondly, because they make such good 
mothers, take such care of their chickens, and run so long with them. Certainly they can only 
cover a moderate number of eggs, on account of their small size, and this is why I think it no good 
to breed these birds too small. I should be sorry to see them become mere Bantams, which is 
what many seem to think they should be, for they are essentially a breed adapted for sitting and 
rearing purposes. They generally lay about thirteen or fourteen eggs before desiring to sit ; very 
rarely more, and frequently only ten or eleven. This is another reason which makes them so 
valuable for early sitting purposes ; as pullets if moderately early hatched will always lay in the 
next January. If not wanted to sit, a change of place for two or three days will soon make them 
forget the propensity, and they will speedily lay again. 
“As regards their points, it now seems definitely settled that for exhibition they should be quite 
white, crested — a nice round compact crest, and not a cockatoo-shaped one as we sometimes see — 
five-clawed, feather-legged, but no trace of vulture-hocks, mulberry-shaped double comb, of a 
bluish-purple colour, and blue ear-lobes. Many birds, however perfect they may be, are apt to 
throw single-combed or four-clawed chickens, but when this appears a cross may be generally 
suspected. I am told there is a single-combed breed in India much resembling our Silkies, but 
distinct from them, and possibly this may have been used at some time or other as a cross, though 
there is no proof of it ; in fact, I believe no case is really known of this breed having been introduced 
into England. As an example of how Silkies are apt to breed birds differing from themselves in 
certain show points, I myself last year bred some of my best double-combed feather-legged birds 
from clean-legged single-combed ones ; and again this year some of my best double-combed birds 
are throwing single-combed chickens. To stamp this out we can only keep picking out the perfect 
ones and breeding from them to perpetuate these points. One thing about Silkies is, they never 
want any tail-plucking or comb-carving, which some breeds do, and therefore they are quite within 
the power of all to prepare for exhibition. The turquoise-blue ear-lobes are certainly the prettiest, 
but after the first year they get discoloured and patchy, which is a great drawback ; consequently 
the grey-coloured ones, though not so pretty, are perhaps the best, as being the most durable. 
