Silkie that are 32 ounces (910 grams). Silkie plumage was once unique among chicken breeds, however in recent years silkie feathering has been developed in several breeds, mostly notably the Chabo, where it is now standardised in Britain and the Netherlands. It has been compared to silk, and to fur. The overall result is a soft, fluffy appearance. Their feathers lack functioning barbicels, and are thus similar to down on other birds. This characteristic leaves Silkies unable to fly. Silkies appear in two distinct varieties: bearded and non-bearded. Bearded Silkies have an extra muff of feathers under the beak area that
The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry "The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry" or "The Grey Selkie of Sule Skerry" is a traditional folk song from Shetland and Orkney. A woman has her child taken away by its father, the great selkie of Sule Skerry which can transform from a seal into a human. The woman is fated to marry a gunner who will harpoon the selkie and their son. "The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry" is a short version from the Sheltands published in the 1850s and later listed as Child ballad number 113. "The Grey Selkie of Sule Skerry"