How to Raise Silkie Chickens: A Full Breakdown of Key Scientific Breeding Techniques

The Silkie chicken, originally from Taihe County, Jiangxi, is also known as the Wushan chicken, medicinal chicken, black-footed chicken, and silkie-feathered chicken, and is a dual-purpose chicken for both medicine and food. It is raised in many places, so how should it be raised?

How to raise Silkie chickens?

1. Chicken coop construction

Choose a spot that is sheltered from the wind and faces the sun, with dry, gently sloping terrain, good drainage all around, far from residential areas, and with convenient transportation. The size of the coop depends on the terrain and landform, and generally an open-style new-type coop is used.

2. Chick selection

Choose Silkie chicken breeds suited to the local area that have glossy black feathers, are full of energy, and grow strong. The density during the growing period of Silkie chickens is generally: 1 to 10 days of age, 40 to 50 birds per sq m; 10 to 20 days of age, 30 to 40 birds per sq m; 20 to 30 days of age, 25 to 30 birds per sq m; 30 to 60 days of age, 20 to 25 birds per sq m; 60 to 90 days of age, 15 to 12 birds per sq m.

3. Feeding and watering

For feed during the brooding period, crude protein is 19%, crude fiber is less than 6%, calcium is 0.8% to 1.3%, phosphorus is 0.6%, sodium chloride is 0.3%, and moisture is less than 14%. For feed during the growing period, the requirements are crude protein 17%, crude fiber less than 6%, calcium 0.7% to 1.2%, phosphorus 0.55%, and sodium chloride 0.3%; moisture less than 14%. These are formulated according to the nutritional needs of the flock at different days of age and different developmental stages.

4. Hygiene and cleaning

In addition to paying attention to hygiene in food and drink, coop hygiene is also very important. The coop should be cleaned regularly and strictly disinfected. Especially during peak seasons for outbreaks of various viruses, the cleaning and replacement of chicken manure, leftover feed, and bedding must be strengthened, particularly when raising Silkie chickens in large-scale intensive operations.