Silkie Chicken with White Feathers

Silkie Chicken with White Feathers

　　　　The Silkie Chicken with White Feathers is a specialty of Jiangshan City and one of China’s renowned and precious poultry breeds. Adult male Jiangshan Silkie Chickens weigh between 1.8–2 kilograms, while adult females weigh 1.4–1.8 kilograms. They have a delicate build, with a crimson comb and wattles, emerald-green earlobes, and pure white feathers all over. Their beaks, tongues, skin, meat, bones, internal organs, and feet are all black, and even after cooking, the color of the meat and bones remains dark. The chicken has tender and juicy meat rich in gelatin and comprehensive nutrition, making it especially beneficial for conditions such as physical weakness, fatigue, and consumption. A folk saying goes: “Its nourishing effect surpasses that of soft-shelled turtle, and its healing power rivals that of a dove.” Regular consumption is believed to help the elderly live longer, aid children's growth and development, and promote beauty and health in women. It is considered a nourishing and health-strengthening food. According to measurements by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 100 grams of dried Silkie chicken meat contains 96.31 grams of 17 types of amino acids, far exceeding other chicken breeds; among them, the content of eight essential amino acids for humans is particularly high.

The Silkie Chicken with White Feathers not only offers excellent nutritional and tonic benefits but also has high medicinal value. This is detailed in the great work of Li Shizhen, "Compendium of Materia Medica." There are twenty prescriptions utilizing the Silkie Chicken with White Feathers and its eggs for nourishment and treatment. It is the main ingredient in well-known gynecological patent medicines such as “Black-Bone Chicken and White Phoenix Pills,” “Black-Bone Chicken Women’s Health Syrup,” and “Silkie Chicken Tonic Wine.” Renowned pharmaceutical and liquor manufacturers across China have chosen the Silkie Chicken with White Feathers to produce finished products, which are exported both domestically and internationally and highly praised by consumers.

(Jiangshan)