Purple chickens might sound like fantasy, but they’re genuine!
Lavender Silkie chickens usually come with dreamy pastel-purple plumage which makes them everything wonderful about silkies. Of course, you’re intrigued – who would not be fascinated by these rare beauties? It’s time to discover what makes them so sought after.
This relatively new chicken breed has been making waves at poultry shows since the early 2000s. The American Poultry Association has not recognized them officially even till now. They’re gorgeous and when it comes to personalities, these sweet little lovelies are like having pie in your backyard – though they can be quite complicated.
The lusted-after lavender coloring is what makes these birds so hard to find. Although they consistently retain their color through breeding, there’s a downside—their striking appearance often comes with genetically fragile feathers. For an already fluffy breed, this becomes a BIG challenge for breeders.
So, They are good for your backyard chickens and even suitable for beginners but they need proper care and attention.
I’m going to share what gives lavender Silkies their unique color, what it means for these beautiful birds, and why it matters to you.
What are Lavender Silkie Chickens?
Are Lavender Silkies Bantams?
Lavender vs. Self-Blue Silkie Chickens: Are They the Same?
Lavender Silkie Chickens vs Andalusian Silkie Chickens
Why Are Lavender Silkie Chickens Rare?
BREEDING LAVENDER SILKIE CHICKENS
The Lavender Gene in Chickens
What is the role of Shredder Gene in Lavender Chickens?
Do Lavender Silkie Chickens Breed True?
KEEPING LAVENDER SILKIE CHICKENS
Do Lavender Silkie Chickens Lay Purple Eggs?
How Many Eggs Do Lavender Silkies Lay?
What is the size of Lavender Silkies?
Which Chicken Breeds Lay Purple Eggs?
What are some common health issues in Lavender Silkies?
Where and How to Buy Lavender Silkies?
Caring For Lavender Silkie Chickens
Lavender Silkie Chicken Name Ideas
What are Lavender Silkie Chickens?
Lavender Silkie chickens are the birds that make charms, known for their fluffy feathers and smooth, lilac-toned plumage. Unlike blotchy or patchy light grey birds, these beauties look wonderfully wacky with their lavish sheen and purple tint.
These rare birds have a Silkie-chic style with feathery legs, five toes on each foot, and little crests on their heads. Lavender Silkies have black skin, beaks, and even bones, which stand out against their soft feathers and pretty blue-tinted earlobes. The first time I saw one up close, I was impressed by how unique it looked—like a little puff of lilac with hidden surprises.
Most recognized varieties share a friendly temperament and come in bearded and non-bearded types. While their egg productivity isn’t high, these birds must be seen to believe – always brandishing that signature beard and meeting American Poultry Association (APA) standards for the splash they make!
Are Lavender Silkies Bantams?
Yeah! Lavender Silkies are true Bantam chickens. They are small in size and have a calm-natured and friendly temperament with fluffy feathers.
Lavender vs. Self-Blue Silkie Chickens: Are They the Same?
No, they are not different. They are the same things, but lavender has been bred by a gene called ‘lev’. They are present pale with slatey lavender feathering and are also called blue silkies.
Lavender Silkie Chickens vs Andalusian Silkie Chickens
While both carry blue genes, lavender and self-blue Silkie chickens differ from each other. Andalusian blue involves two different genes in chicken breeding.
The lav gene has health implications and affects feather structure in a unique way. This known impact on feather quality makes breeding these varieties quite different from other Silkie types.
Why Are Lavender Silkie Chickens Rare?
Lavender Silkie chickens face multiple challenges at the time of breeding which makes them rare. The ‘lav’ gene responsible for their lilac appearance is recessive, meaning both Papa Roo and Momma Hen must carry this specific gene for any chick to rock the desired purple clean.
Breeders constantly struggle with weak feather development issues linked to the dilute gene. This gene softens and dilutes black pigmentation, but it comes with serious complications. Many chicks don’t survive due to compromised immune systems, and those that do often aren’t functioning properly in terms of feather quality.
The challenging reality is that people hear about these being the hardest color varieties to maintain. Breeders must breed back again and again, yet healthy specimens remain difficult to locate. The gene produces beautiful results when looking at the chicken, but maintaining breeding stock that’s both visually appealing and physically sound proves nearly impossible for most breeders.
BREEDING LAVENDER SILKIE CHICKENS
The Lavender Gene in Chickens
Lavender Silkie chickens are essentially black birds with a genetic mutation that dilutes their color, resulting in a pale lilac or light lavender hue. This sounds bad, like having a bad hair day, but the situation produces something beautiful.
Breeders spent decades trying to master this look after it was first discovered in the Porcelain variety Belgian Bearded muscles in 1972. The gene has a significant impact by diluting not just black color, but also red and buff tones in chickens.
The “lavender” gene (lav) in the chicken causes the dilution of both black (eumelanin) and red/brown (pheomelanin) pigments, so…on an extended black background, this condition causes the entire surface of the body an even shade of light slaty blue, which is the typical phenotype known as ‘”self-blue”‘. (Wikipedia)
What is the role of Shredder Gene in Lavender Chickens?
The shredder gene causes big problems for lavender Silkie’s feathers. This genetic issue makes their tail feathers fall apart and look terrible – like the soggy paper, you might find scooped from an old puddle.
This isn’t just about bad looks. When feathers can’t do their job of keeping chickens warm, they create weaker birds that get sick easily. The gene comes with a serious cost to the chicken’s health.
Lavender Silkies end up with multiple health issues because their feathers don’t protect them properly. The shredder effect makes things worse over time, leaving these beautiful birds struggling to stay healthy in normal weather conditions.
Do Lavender Silkie Chickens Breed True?
Lavender Splash Silkies are something special! These birds happen when you breed a Blue-Black-Splash Silkie with a lavender Silkie chicken. You’re basically mixing two different color patterns together – the splash markings and that soft lavender color. What you end up with are some pretty incredible-looking chickens that’ll catch your eye in the yard!
KEEPING LAVENDER SILKIE CHICKENS
Do Lavender Silkie Chickens Lay Purple Eggs?
No, Lavender Silkie chickens won’t give you purple eggs, even though that would be pretty cool!
These birds lay regular small to medium-sized cream or tinted eggs – think pale beige or off-white. Just because your Lavender Silkie looks like a fluffy purple cloud doesn’t mean her eggs will match her outfit.
If you’ve seen pictures of purple eggs online, someone’s probably messing with filters or the lighting was just really weird. Trust me, crack one open and you’ll find a normal egg inside!
How Many Eggs Do Lavender Silkies Lay?
Lavender Silkie hens lay 2-4 eggs per week, which is around 100-120 eggs per year and eggs are small in size. This is considered as less egg production than the average rate.
These birds are cold-hardy and lay consistently even during colder months, unlike many other breeds that stop laying in winter.
What is the size of Lavender Silkies?
Lavender Silkies are small in size, the same as silkies that weigh around 2-3 pounds at their peak time. They’re considered bantam, which means they are smaller compared to other types of regular chickens. Hens are usually lighter than roosters in the concept of weight and size.
Which Chicken Breeds Lay Purple Eggs?
Honestly, no chicken breed lays true purple eggs. The English Croad Langshan sometimes produces eggs with a lilac tint on their shells, but this bloom washes off easily.
Any occasional claim about lavender-colored eggs is a real stretch. What people see as purple is usually just lighting tricks or a very light tint that disappears when you clean the egg.
What are some common health issues in Lavender Silkies?
Lavender Silkies get sick pretty easily. Their fluffy feathers trap dirt and bugs, plus they catch colds fast. Watch out for eye problems from their head puffs, weak feathers that break, and trouble staying warm in winter weather.
Where and How to Buy Lavender Silkies?
Yes, you can get it from any hatchery, but in my opinion, you must buy it from a hatcher or chicken farm near yours.
Caring For Lavender Silkie Chickens
Lavender Silkie chickens are a great choice for backyard flocks and also great for first-time chicken keepers. These healthy hens work well for inexperienced keepers, though some fragile color varieties from certain bloodlines have effects that create weaker feathers.
They don’t need much space – even a diddy area works fine since they’re friendly, easy to care for, and not noisy or flighty. These beautiful birds are fun to watch around the yard.
Watch out for damp conditions though – your Lavender Silkie despises getting wet. Their fluffy feathers don’t handle moisture well, so keep them dry and cozy for the best results.
Lavender Silkie Chicken Name Ideas
There are a lot of name ideas like Lavender Silkies, you can pick anyone you like.
- Lilac
- Dusty
- Velvet
- Moonbeam
- Lavie (short for Lavender)
- Periwinkle
- Misty
- Plume
- Smokey
- Wisteria