Silkie they are fair layers themselves, laying only about three eggs a week, they are commonly used to hatch eggs from other breeds and bird species due to their broody nature. Silkie chickens are very easy to keep as pets. They are suitable for children, as they can easily withstand being roughly handled. It is unknown exactly where or when these fowl with their singular combination of attributes first appeared, but the most well documented point of origin is ancient China (hence another occasionally encountered name for the bird, Chinese silk chicken). Other places in Southeast Asia have been named as
What Bird is That? according to their usual habitat. The accompanying text included brief notes on distribution, breeding and behaviour. While initial sales were poor, history tells us that Cayley had accurately discerned a market need and successfully responded to it. During WWII sales accelerated and Cayley’s first collection, reprinted time and time again, eventually became a household name among birdwatchers and the book was recognised as an Australian classic. The original sponsorship of "What Bird is That?" proved a great investment for the Gould League, who benefited from the sale of its numerous reprints and revised editions. By 1960, it was rated the