Black Silkie Combs and other silkie standards for newbies

[jandsferguson]

Sounds like you got some frizzled chicks, they turn out SO cute! Totally my fave even if they don’t have the sizzles curl and are smooth they turn out VERY pretty. Look up sizzles and smooth sizzles also known as satins. Look up the Frizzle gene, educate yourself on this. Do not breed a Frizzle to a Frizzle wether “furred” silkie feather or regular barbed feather with curl as this can cause problems. They are very fun to breed. I’d love to see pics click on “upload a file” to do so.

So how do you know who carries which genes? They came from two different places. I ordered silkies. But this is what I got instead

 

[MrsChicky55]

So how do you know who carries which genes? They came from two different places. I ordered silkies. But this is what I got instead

I was just on MPC and they have some lavender silkies for sale on Nov 13. I don’t know if anyone is still looking.

I usually try to buy through breeders & farmers rather than hatcheries. Hoping to get quality birds. But Lavenders would be fun!

 

[MrsChicky55]

So how do you know who carries which genes? They came from two different places. I ordered silkies. But this is what I got instead[/QUOTE
This is a Satin chick.

Also known as a Sizzle. It’s a silkie crossed with a bird that carries the Frizzle gene (usually a Frizzled Cochin). When that cross is made you can get that Frizzle gene that shows up as a curl, or a bird that’s only a carrier for the Frizzle gene with no curl. You can also get either silkie type feathers or the standard barbed feathers like on a Cochin or most birds. You can get 4 different feather types from a cross like this.
1.The Satin/Sizzle shown above shows the Frizzle gene and the barbed feathers.
2.You can also get a smooth Satin/Sizzle which has the standard barbed feathers but no upward curl. They carry the Frizzle gene but don’t show it. These are valued as breeders to cross back to the Satins with the Frizzle gene. Here’s a chick.(I feel like the curve of the smooth feathers is enhanced in the smooths. The feathers looks fuller, rounder, but I’m not sure if that’s technically true).

3. Standard silkie feathering- these birds look like Silkies they just happen to be a carrier of the Frizzle gene but don’t show it.
4. A Frizzled Silkie also known as a Frilkie. Soft silkie feathering with upward curl.

The grown birds are even prettier! Google pics of Sizzles, smooth satins, and Frilkies you’ll see the difference. They are beautiful birds! The Satins are my fave, that’s what I’m hoping to breed. If you’re on Facebook look up California Country Ranch Poultry and Waterfowl. Sheri Minkner shows her birds and has loads of pictures of beautiful silkies in all the varieties, you’ll see why I like them so much. She has pics of silkies next to frilkies to identify the difference too. This is where I got my chicks from. Hope this info helps.

 

[MrsChicky55]

1. Pic is too blurry to tell. Usually you can see the curl in the neck area most prominently.
2. Based on the neck feathers I'd say is a Frilkie- Frizzle gene Silkie feathers
3. Rooster is a Satin/sizzle, white bird is a smooth satin. Carries Frizzle gene
4. Bird bending over is Frizzled but can't be sure of feather type in the pic I think Satin though. The gray in the back is a smooth, the black I think is a smooth too but hard to tell if it's that or a regular feathered bird from the pics. - Carry the Frizzle gene

You can cross your Frizzles to your smooths or silkies. Just don't cross your Frilkie to your Sizzle. The two Frizzle genes cause a Frazzle, these are special needs birds-their feathers are brittle, break easily and can leave them pretty bald if not receiving special care. This leaves them open to sunburn and they have difficulty maintaining body temperature. I believe there can be other issues as well.

 

[MrsChicky55]

So how do you know who carries which genes? They came from two different places. I ordered silkies. But this is what I got instead

The Satins/Sizzles are bred to the silkie standard. (Black skin, walnut comb, 5 toes, etc.) They technically are part or mostly silkie, they just have a few genes different. The Frilkies are shown as Silkies. It's like a blonde kid or a blonde kid with curls. The Frilkies are shown as Silkies. There are lots of threads devoted to this stuff. You should search them.

 

[MrsChicky55]

View attachment 1153676
I've got some Silkie/satin/frizzle eggs in my incubator right now from a well known breeder. She has beautiful birds! I'd like to show them with my 4-H'er. I don't know too much about the breeding standard, but the one major flaw that I've noticed in her pics are some red/pink combs. I was hoping to learn more about how to darken up the comb and walnut shape if anyone has any recommendations. I'm guessing that red flaw is one of the "cochin traits" she mentioned from working with the sizzles. I thought maybe if I could find a breeder with straight up silkies (meaning no frizzled cochin added) with really dark combs like this that hopefully I could get the best of both worlds. Fluff & frizzle with black comb! Anyone know of somebody with birds with black combs like this that sells hatching eggs? Or other recommendations to improve the comb?

If any breeders could give me tips on what else I should be looking for or working on to get show quality birds with this breed I'd really appreciate it! Thanks!

These are some of the beautiful birds from the breeder I'm currently hatching eggs from. She's working on F20 and seems to have a focus on Satins (sizzles) and getting them recognized as a breed.
View attachment 1153678 View attachment 1153673 View attachment 1153674 View attachment 1153675
P.S. I know that they are supposed to be able to see but those fluffy crests are just so pretty I couldn't resist!

Does anyone have silkies with combs that have this lovely of a Walnut shape. I've never seen one and would love to see your pics!

 

[MrsChicky55]

I don’t know how to upload pics son here but I also have silkies. I would love to know what kind mine are I have furred, ones with feathers and ones that curl up. However I have no idea how to do pics. :-(. I would also like to find some nice silkies of different colors. The ones with fur that is. I ordered some that I thought would have fue but they didn’t come with fur they came with feathers. I was a bit disappointed. However I did find some very dark partridge with fur. I mean how do you find out before you order what type of feathers they will have. I feel like I was tricked. :-( however I would love some more “breeder quality” or show birds.

If you are after the silkie feathering, ask the breeder if they raise Frizzles. A lot of good breeders may have pens that carry just silkie feathering without the cross and will keep these separate from their Satins.

 

[jandsferguson]

If you are after the silkie feathering, ask the breeder if they raise Frizzles. A lot of good breeders may have pens that carry just silkie feathering without the cross and will keep these separate from their Satins.

Thank you so much for the discription in such great detail. This is what I was wanting to know. And I actually understand what you are saying. Awesome job.

 

[jandsferguson]

The Satins/Sizzles are bred to the silkie standard. (Black skin, walnut comb, 5 toes, etc.) They technically are part or mostly silkie, they just have a few genes different. The Frilkies are shown as Silkies. It's like a blonde kid or a blonde kid with curls. The Frilkies are shown as Silkies. There are lots of threads devoted to this stuff. You should search them.

How do you do searches on here. The only way I can find anything here is going to google and sometimes it will pop up in the search.

 

[Silkie Pet Lady]

A few months back I spoke to the owner of California Country Ranch, Sheri Minkner. She sells silkie eggs. She raises show quality silkies. I haven't ordered any eggs yet though. But check out her Facebook and website. She was very helpful and answered all my questions and seemed like a stickler for silkie standards. She actually wasn't sure if she wanted me to have any of her eggs because I live in California too and if I planned on showing, she didn't want to compete with her own birds!

Her Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaCountryRanchPoultryAndWaterfowl/

Her website: http://californiacountryranch.blogspot.com/p/silkie-chicks-all-ages-show-and-pet.html