How Much do Silkie Chickens Cost?
Silkie Chickens are beautiful but how much do they cost? The price will depend on a few different factors.
What are Silkie Chickens?
Silkies are beautiful chickens that are considered ornamental. This means they are lower in egg production.
Silkies originated in China and are known for their incredibly fluffy feathers and relatively petite size compared to other chickens. They come in both bearded and non-bearded varieties.
They have a variety of colors including black, blue, white, lavender, splash, grey, buff, and partridge, just to name a few!
Temperament wise they are considered to be a very docile chicken that is great for backyard flocks and homesteads with children. You can find more great chicken breeds for families here.
How Much are Silkie Chicks?
This will depend on what sex and what color plumage you are looking for in your chickens.
Straight Run Silkie Prices
Straight Run Silkies, meaning you get a mix of male and female and you don’t know how many of each you are getting,
Sexed Females
This means you are purchasing chicks that are almost positively females. Day old, female sexed silkie chicks will cost around $17 each.
Sexed Males
This means the chicks you are getting are almost certainly all males. Sex male chicks that are a day old will cost around $6 each.
Additional Costs to Keep in Mind
In addition to these costs, you might have to pay shipping depending on how many chicks you order.
There will also be taxes added to the total.
Lastly, it is wise to get certain vaccinations for your chicks before they leave the hatchery. These usually run fifty cents to one dollar per chick.
Are All Silkies “Bantams”?
In the United States and Canada, almost all silkies available for sale will be referred to as “Bantams” or “Banties”. Typically, a bantam is a miniature version of a larger variety of chicken. Sort of like how dogs have standard sizes and mini versions of many breeds.
Silkies, however, are a small enough breed from the get-go to be considered a “bantam”. There is no larger standard they were miniaturized from. They are naturally and originally small.
On the flip side, other countries have “standard” sized Silkies that were created from the original bantam silkies. Larger silkies were selected and bred to other larger silkies, which created the “standard” sized silkie.
How much are Silkie Poults?
A poult is a juvenile bird usually around six weeks of age.
I wasn’t able to find any silkie poults for sale online or in my area, but I would estimate you can expect to pay $30 and up for a female silkie.
