There are many unusual creatures on earth. Even a simple chicken can find something to impress. For example, Chinese silk chickens are not at all the usual hens, but truly amazing birds with an extraordinary appearance and friendly character.
History of silk chickens
China is considered to be the homeland of silk chickens. There they appeared more than a thousand years ago and only much later spread to England and Russia. The first mentions of this bird in literature can be found in the German naturalist Pallas. A little later they were mentioned in the book "The History of Birds", which belonged to the pen of the natural scientist Zhesner. The book dates back to the 16th century, and in it this breed of birds was called "woolly". At that time, there was a heated debate about the origin of these chickens and their belonging to any biological class. According to one theory, silk chickens were a hybrid of a chicken and a rabbit.
The appearance of the bird and its character
Initially, this breed is decorative. Silk chickens have a rounded body covered with soft plumage that feels like silk to the touch. This is due to the absence of hooks on the barbs in the structure of their feathers. Such hooks are found only on the tail feathers and wing feathers.
In addition, the body of silk chickens contains an abundance of melanin, which gives the dark blue color to their bones and skin. That is why the lobes of birds are painted in a rich turquoise color, and the beak and pink-shaped comb are painted in blue. For this color difference, silk chickens are also called black. Chickens of this breed have a small “rosette” of feathers on their heads, reminiscent of a crest combed back. Some representatives can see the "beard" and "sideburns".
Another difference between silk chickens is the number of toes on their feet. Chickens of ordinary breeds have only four of them, and silk ones - five. In addition, they are covered with plumage.
As for the variations in feather dyeing, the colors of silk chickens are very diverse. Their plumage can combine gray, white, blue, green, black and red shades. Chickens are usually bright yellow in color, and eggshells are colored light brown.
By nature, it is a very calm and friendly bird. Of all the chicken representatives, silk chickens are the most contact ones. In China, they are often bred as pets, as they allow themselves to be picked up and petted. In addition, they are absolutely not picky about housing conditions.
The use of Chinese silk chickens
Chinese silk chickens lay over a hundred eggs a year and have amazingly tasty meat, which is considered a delicacy in Asian countries. In ancient times, the meat of these birds was served only at dinner parties, accompanied by a white creamy sauce for the most beneficial shading of the meat. In addition to high taste, silk chicken meat contains a large amount of amino acids, B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, niacin and substances that enhance the functioning of the genitals, kidneys and spleen.
That is why in China medicines are made from the meat of silk chickens to cure migraines and tuberculosis. Also, this breed is bred for the sake of their down and feathers. For 2 haircuts, one bird gives 120-150 grams of fluff.
