Could you post a photo? The broken feathers could be caused by other chickens pecking him, or he may be due for a molt. The feed that you give them has some effect on the brittlenss of feathers too. More protein might help. Twisted feathers do occur on birds (sometimes a genetic defect), but they might also be twisted from other factors. I know that some of my roosters get ragged tips to their wing feathers and bent feathers on their wings because they drag their wings on the ground courting hens, and the feathers quickly become chafed. This could be the case with the rooster.
With that said, I'd really like to see a photo. One of my Wyandotte hens has had rather extreme feather problems since spring time that could be similar to your rooster. She had her tail feathers pecked by other younger birds will roosting, making them become ragged. She also had some of her wing feathers pecked, in some cases resulting in the feathers being only shafts. Yet, even when I solved roosting problems and stopped other birds from picking at her, the feather problems continued. She doesn't have any mites or lice and yet, her wing feathers still aren't in good condition. They are brittle, frayed at the ends, and still mostly shafts. She also hasn't molted completely, which is surprising since most of my other birds have. I'd be interested to see whether your Silkie's feathers are similar to my Wyandotte's
