ABOUT THE SILKIERIE
A lifelong passion for poultry, backed by science and systems thinking.
Where It Started
I’m Cody Deluisio, and I’ve been raising chickens continuously since I was three years old out here in Avonmore, PA. My first flock included a Showgirl, and from there Silkies quickly became my favorite breed. There’s something about them — the temperament, the look, the challenge of breeding them well — that hooked me early and never let go. You can learn more about what I’m up to at codydeluisio.com.
That childhood obsession turned into a lifelong pursuit. I went to school for Biology with the goal of getting into cattle genetics — which I did. I now work in Black Angus cattle genetics while also working as a Communications Network Engineer. That combination of biological science and systems engineering shapes everything I do at The Silkierie.
Software Meets Silkies
I try to apply software problems and solutions to my Silkies. The same way a network engineer troubleshoots systems — isolating variables, tracking data, iterating on what works — that’s how I approach breeding. Gut feel has its place, but data is what drives real progress. I cover my technical projects in more depth over at deluisio.com.
Right now I’m working on two projects that sit at the intersection of tech and poultry:
Breeding Tracker — A custom tool to track pedigrees and traits across generations, modeled after the systems I use with my Black Angus cattle. Every bird gets documented lineage, trait scores, and outcome tracking so I can make pairing decisions based on real data, not memory.
Machine Vision Egg Tracking — I’m developing a camera-based system to identify which hen laid which egg. Accurate pedigree starts at the egg, and knowing exactly who produced what is the foundation of any serious breeding program. This is the kind of data that cattle operations take for granted, but poultry breeders almost never have.
Our Breeding Philosophy
I’m an active member of the American Poultry Association, the American Bantam Association, and the American Silkie Bantam Club. We focus on three varieties — Paint, Black, and Splash — and we go deep rather than wide. Each line is maintained with careful attention to the standard, and we cull for recognized defects and disqualifications. Beyond that, we also select for traits that matter to real owners: docile temperament, robust health, and strong fertility.
Every breeding pair is chosen based on documented lineage, trait expression data, and genetic compatibility. We track hatch rates, feather quality scores, and conformation metrics across every generation. This isn’t guesswork — it’s the same structured selection methodology used in professional livestock genetics, scaled down for poultry.
Located in Avonmore, PA
The Silkierie is based in Avonmore, Pennsylvania — about an hour east of Pittsburgh. Our birds benefit from purpose-built housing designed to handle the region’s four-season climate. We maintain a small, focused flock — large enough to sustain genetic diversity within our lines, small enough that every bird gets individual attention and evaluation.
If you’re serious about adding quality Silkies to your flock, we’d love to hear from you. Join our waitlist or reach out with questions — I’m always happy to talk birds.
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