In fact, winters don t bother Silkies much, because their fluffy down coats, keep them warm. Silkies are quite affectionate towards their owner, and realize that we will not harm them. They will talk to you with their little, chicken clucks, and can be made so tame, that they will fly up into your lap if given the chance. Silkie bantam chickens are the best sitters in the world. A Silkie mother will never abandon her eggs, and will be a protective guardian of her babies.
Silkies are a long-lived chicken, and stay beautiful, even when older.
I have one Silkie hen that is now 8 years old, and she is still laying and is a pretty as she was in her poulet stage. In the past, Silkies were used to hatch out game birds, because of their wonderful sitting and mothering abilities. But since the use of incubators became popular, they have lost their status as the best sitters. These days, they re mostly raised for show, and you will often find them in petting zoos, where their sweet, docile nature, and fluffy covering, delight children of all ages. Silkies are one of the oldest, most beautiful and unique breed of bantam chickens.