Are silked feathers a separate trait?

[HonkABC]

Are silkied feathers considered a separate trait in chickens? Like if a chicken has silkied feathers but all its other traits (comb, egg color, leg color, etc) are different from the Silkie chicken breed, could it be considered a separate breed? Or are silkied feathers considered a subcategory of a breed, like frizzled feathers?

 

[Noraaaaa]

Im not sure... @Debbie292d may be able to answer your question though!

 

[Amer]

Silkied feathers are caused by a gene. Other breeds can have silkied feathers as well, just like they can have frizzled feathers though silkied is not a recognized variety in any breed except for the traditional Serama. And of course it is a requirement in Silkies.

 

[Debbie292d]

Are silkied feathers considered a separate trait in chickens? Like if a chicken has silkied feathers but all its other traits (comb, egg color, leg color, etc) are different from the Silkie chicken breed, could it be considered a separate breed? Or are silkied feathers considered a subcategory of a breed, like frizzled feathers?

No, it's not a separate breed.

Sort of like with other breeds you'll see, for instance the different types of Brahmas are all still Brahmas.

Our silkies just get longer names.

This one is a frizzled cuckoo silkie rooster.



There is no breed type "satin," "frizzle", "cuckoo", etc. it's all a feather type, so when it's a silkie, it's just a satin silkie, frizzle silkie, cuckoo silkie, etc.

 

[HonkABC]

So is it like other breeds can have silkied feathers, or a new breed of chicken can have it in its standard?

 

[Slothinc]

So is it like other breeds can have silkied feathers, or a new breed of chicken can have it in its standard?

Yes the silkied feather gene can be bred into other breeds. It’s recessive, so a little difficult to know whether the bird is carrying the gene after the first generation of outcrossed and it would take some time and generations of breeding to get back to the standards of the original breed.

I have some chicks hatching now that are mixes and can lay fun colored eggs like Easter eggers but have a chance of being silkied as both parents carry it.

 

[Debbie292d]

So is it like other breeds can have silkied feathers, or a new breed of chicken can have it in its standard?

I know the APA has a standard for silkies, traditional silkie silkies, only.

My understanding is they also have a separate class for frizzled chickens, so all frizzled breeds.

I doubt they'll just accept a new feathering in any specific breed that would be in the same class as the original breed.

In other words, if they are judging Brahmas, and someone brings in a Brahma with silkie feathers. That's not going to qualify to be in the Brahma's class as they already have set standards for their feather type.

 

[Amer]

I know the APA has a standard for silkies, traditional silkie silkies, only.

My understanding is they also have a separate class for frizzled chickens, so all frizzled breeds.

I doubt they'll just accept a new feathering in any specific breed that would be in the same class as the original breed.

In other words, if they are judging Brahmas, and someone brings in a Brahma with silkie feathers. That's not going to qualify to be in the Brahma's class as they already have set standards for their feather type.

No they don't have a separate class for frizzled chickens, they have separate varieties... Frizzles and non frizzles compete in the same breed category but in separate variety categories.
But yeah, I agree silkie probably isn't getting the same treatment anytime soon. The only breeds that plausibly would get accepted with silkied varieties in the near future are Seramas and maybe Cochins.

 

[HonkABC]

Thank you.

 

[HonkABC]

If there were to be a new breed with silkied feathers that had nothing in common with silkies except for the feathers, and assuming it met all the other requirements to be a breed (at least 3 different traits from an existing breed, etc,) could it be considered a breed?