Are you looking to add something truly eye-catching to your backyard flock? Well, let me introduce you to one of the most fascinating chicken breeds out there – the Showgirl chicken! These birds are guaranteed to make your visitors do a double-take and ask “What in the world is THAT?”
As a chicken enthusiast who’s raised various breeds, I can tell you that Showgirls are truly something special. They’re not your average backyard chicken, and that’s exactly why so many people fall in love with them.
The Origins of the Showgirl Chicken
Showgirl chickens are a relatively new hybrid breed that started gaining popularity in the 21st century. They’re the result of crossbreeding two distinct chicken varieties:
- Silkies: A 300-year-old Asiatic breed known for their fluffy plumage and soft, hair-like feathers
- Transylvanian Naked Necks (Turkens): Known for their distinctive naked neck gene
The innovator behind this unique breed wanted to create Silkies of more substantial size without losing their beautiful appearance. The first generation typically starts with Turkens before improving their quality by cross-breeding with pure Silkies for subsequent generations.
What Makes Showgirl Chickens So Distinctive?
The most obvious feature of a Showgirl chicken is their naked neck combined with the fluffy body of a Silkie It’s quite a sight to behold! Here are the key characteristics that make Showgirls stand out
- Naked necks: Their most defining feature, inherited from the Turken gene
- Fluffy plumage: The soft, hair-like feathers from their Silkie parentage
- “Bowtie” or “brooch”: Many Showgirls have a small tuft of feathers on their neck that resembles a fancy bowtie
- Five toes per foot: Like Silkies, they typically have five toes instead of the usual four
- Walnut comb: A distinctive comb shape inherited from their Silkie ancestors
- Variety of colors: They can be found in white, black, buff, blue, lavender, and splash
Many people’s first reaction to seeing a Showgirl chicken is “EWWW!” But trust me, these unique birds grow on you quickly, and many chicken keepers end up falling in love with their quirky appearance.
Showgirl Chicken Size and Weight
Showgirls are generally small to medium-sized birds. They are typically similar in size to standard Silkies, making them a bantam breed. On average:
- Hens: 1.8 to 2.8 pounds
- Roosters: Slightly heavier
Their small size makes them ideal for backyard settings where space might be limited.
Egg Production and Broodiness
If you’re wondering about eggs, Showgirls are decent layers but won’t compete with production breeds:
- Egg production: Fair to good, with about 80-140 eggs per year
- Egg color: Cream, tinted, or brown
- Egg size: Small to medium
One of the standout qualities of Showgirl chickens is their broodiness. They make excellent mothers and are often used to hatch and raise chicks from other breeds. If you’re looking for a natural incubator, Showgirls are an excellent choice!
Personality and Temperament
I’ve found that Showgirls have some of the sweetest personalities in the chicken world:
- Gentle and docile: They’re extremely friendly birds
- Great with children: Their calm nature makes them perfect family pets
- Social birds: They enjoy human interaction and get along well with other chicken breeds
- Low aggression: They’re rarely bullies in the flock
Their calm disposition does come with a downside – they’re not very predator-aware and can be vulnerable to attacks. Because of this, they’re not ideal for free-ranging without supervision.
Caring for Showgirl Chickens
Showgirls are relatively easy to care for, with a few special considerations:
Housing Needs:
- Lower perches: Due to their feather structure and legs, they can’t fly well, so they need lower roosts
- Protected environment: They’re vulnerable to predators due to their docile nature
- Weather considerations: Their naked necks make them slightly less cold-hardy than fully-feathered breeds
Health Considerations:
- Cold weather: Provide extra protection during cold spells due to their naked necks
- Heat tolerance: They handle heat better than many fully-feathered breeds
- Standard chicken care: Otherwise, they require the same health care as other chickens
Breeding Showgirl Chickens
If you’re interested in breeding your own Showgirls, here’s what you need to know:
- The first generation is typically created by crossing naked neck Turkens with Silkies
- Further generations can be produced by breeding Showgirls with Silkies in various combinations
- For best results, use breeding stock between their second and fifth year
- Regular culling is important to maintain the best representatives of the breed
An interesting variation is the Frizzle Showgirl – a cross between a Frizzle chicken and a Naked Neck. These birds have curly, ragged-looking feathers combined with the naked neck, creating an even more unusual appearance!
Pros and Cons of Owning Showgirl Chickens
Pros:
- Unique, eye-catching appearance
- Gentle, friendly temperament
- Excellent mothers and brood hens
- Good for small backyards
- Conversation starters!
Cons:
- Lower egg production than laying breeds
- Not ideal for meat production
- Vulnerable to predators
- May need extra protection in cold weather
- Can be difficult to find
Where to Find Showgirl Chickens
Because they’re a relatively uncommon breed, finding Showgirls can be challenging. Your best bets include:
- Specialty poultry breeders
- Chicken forums and online communities
- Facebook groups dedicated to rare chicken breeds
- Agricultural fairs and poultry shows
- Breeding your own from Silkies and Turkens
Are Showgirl Chickens Right for You?
If you’re looking for a functional chicken that provides lots of eggs or meat, Showgirls probably aren’t your best choice. But if you want a unique, friendly pet chicken that will be the star of your backyard, they’re hard to beat!
I personally love having a few Showgirls in my flock – they’re great conversation starters when friends visit, they’re incredibly gentle with kids, and they add visual interest to my chicken family. Plus, their broodiness makes them invaluable when I want to hatch eggs naturally.
So, are you ready to add some showbiz to your backyard coop? These feathered (and partially non-feathered) divas might be just what you’re looking for!
FAQ About Showgirl Chickens
Q: Are Showgirl chickens recognized by poultry associations?
A: As a relatively new hybrid breed, Showgirls aren’t typically listed in most popular breeding associations’ lists yet.
Q: Do Showgirls get along with other chicken breeds?
A: Yes! Their gentle nature means they generally get along well with other breeds, though they may be bullied by more aggressive chickens.
Q: Are Showgirl chickens noisy?
A: No, they’re generally quiet birds and make good neighbors in suburban settings.
Q: How long do Showgirl chickens live?
A: With proper care, they can live 5-7 years on average.
Q: Do Showgirls need special feed?
A: No, they thrive on standard chicken feed, though like all chickens, they appreciate treats and fresh vegetables.
Have you seen a Showgirl chicken before? I’d love to hear about your experiences with these unique birds in the comments below!
Selection of breeding stock:
It goes without saying that good, secure housing and nutritious feed are of the utmost importance in all poultry undertakings, and this is especially true for breeding stock.
Another equally important consideration in the selection of the breeding stock is to choose birds that are fully matured, some breeds arriving at maturity much more speedily than others, and this has to be considered when setting up the breeding pens. In selecting the stock birds of any variety, strong, vigorous specimens only should be bred from. Experience has proved that it is impossible to obtain strong healthy chickens from stock birds whose systems have been undermined by disease or afflictions in some form or other. The natural consequence, in breeding from unhealthy birds on either side previous to the formation or fertilising of the eggs, is that the chickens produced will be weakly and almost worthless, though they may appear in their earlier stages to do all right, but, as sure as the sun sets, the latent disease in their systems will appear, and disaster ensue. Rule 1 . No good and lasting results can be expected from unhealthy parent stock. An old hand at poultry keeping once told me “As the fertilisation of the egg rests on the vigour of the stock cockerel, it is folly to allow the stock birds to run together right throughout the year. It is imperative, if strong and healthy chickens are desired, to remove the stock cockerel for at least four or five months in the year. This will allow the bird to recover his flagging energies, before being again placed in the breeding pen” He was well into his eighties and had had much success over the years but the main piece of advice here is to allow all your breeding stock to have a good rest.
What age do Silkie chickens lay eggs?
In my experience it varies from 7 to 10 months to whenever they are good and ready and nothing much will hurry them up. But then we dont keep Silkies to be productive. I have had a few that never laid in their first year.