The Silver Appenzeller

Very rare birds originating from Switzerland which can be silver spangled or gold spangled or black. They take their name from the region of Appenzellerland because of their crest pointing forwards where the ladies of traditional clothes wore bonnets with similar plumage. They are quite good fliers and like to roost in trees, an aviary would probably suit them best, so that they can roost higher up. Their eggs are white and they are excellent layers.

Silkies

Silkies are a variety of chicken believed to have originated in eastern Asia. Silkies generally have a fluffy appearance due to their feathers lacking functioning barbicels; essentially, all their feathers are very much like down. They have black skin and bones and 5 toes instead of the normal 4. In addition, Silkie hens make wonderful mothers. Their broodiness makes them a poor breed for egg production, and their dark skin makes them difficult to market as meat birds in Europe and America.

Their unique appearance and their quiet temperament mean they are often kept as pets. The hens easily become broody, laying only a dozen or so eggs before attempting to hatch out their clutch... Silkies are near-unique among chickens: both skin and bones are black. Black skin is found in only Silkies and some rare breeds