Naked Frizzle

[Frizzled]

Have any of you folks that have Frizzles ever had any that didn't fully develop feathers? I have one that came from Mcmurray Hatchery that only has feathers on its wing tips, head, neck and chest, the rest of him is featherless. Another one has a bare spot right in the middle of its back, the rest of its feathers look great. they are both about 9 weeks old. Let me know what ya'll think is wrong and if they will ever get feathers.

 

[waibel zoo]

You probably have frazzles. This happens when two frizzled who are both expressing the frizzle gene are bred. The offspring get a double frizzle gene that causes lack of feathers and brittle feathers.

 

[Frizzled]

Does this mean I am going to have to get my wife to knit them a sweater, or will they get feathers eventually?

 

[Renee]

Heh heh heh.

 

[lindseythefork]

It happens sometimes with frizzles. I've seen some on here before that were rather naked (I think it was in one of the ugliest chicken contests).

 

[waibel zoo]

They might need a sweater if they are not featherd by fall.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi!
It sounds like your 9-week-old Frizzles are just 'slow feathering'. I have some Frizzles here that are insanely slow to finish feathering (especially the males).
My experience with chicks that had a double copy of the frizzle gene / frazzled --- was that they feathered well, but the feathers were over-curled and very brittle.
Good luck with your chicks!

Lisa

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

well much to any ones surprise I think they will never get all their feathers
I have rasied frizzles for many decades and what is wrong is that they have the frizzle to frizzle genetic make up and they will not ever get enough feathers to keep them cool or keep them warm

so unless you have a situation where they can live you just have to get used to it

many hatcheries don't breed frizzle to regular feathered birds and this makes extreme frizzles
the ones they need to breed is the smooth ( bird from frizzle to regular bird and comes out regular feather but having 1 gene for frizzle and one gene for regular bird)

the reason is that the hatcheries feel the people won't appreciate the regular or (smooths as I call them) instead of frizzles

so the only way to correct the frizzling feathers is to breed them to regular feathered bird in the betginning and then the F-1 stock breed to the smooth and frizzle and will get a per centage of frizzle and smooth feathered birds

then in F-2 and F-3 breed only smooths to frizzles and then it will be okay and get a lovely frizzled bird with excellent feathers curling towards the face of the bird

****here is some info on the modifying gene in frizzles from my friend KazJaps in Australia

KazJaps from Australia

here is a Frizzle modifying gene (mf) that alters the ___expression of Frizzling (F). This might explain Glenda’s results. Put these genes together in different combinations & you’ll get various expressions of frizzling (or no frizzling). A bird may appear not to be frizzled, but may actually have the frizzle modifying gene masking ___expression (heterozygous for frizzling & homozygous for frizzle modifier: Ff+ mfmf). So the phenotype (how a bird looks) is non-frizzled, but genetically they have the frizzle gene. Glenda puts it nicely, “Smooth Frizzle”. The bird actually has one dose of the frizzle gene. Therefore offspring of 2 seemingly normal-feathered birds may produce a Frizzle (by the modifying gene becoming heterozygous or the frizzle gene becoming homozygous).

So, there are 5 main phenotypes (how a bird looks)
1: normal feathering (f+f+ Mf+Mf+ or f+f+ mfmf)
2: smooths, as Glenda calls them (Ff+ mfmf)
3: exhibition frizzles (Ff+ Mf+Mf+)
4: frizzled, less woolly than extreme (FF mfmf)
5: extreme frizzling (FF Mf+Mf+)

f+ = non-frizzled gene (wild type)
F = frizzle gene (incomplete dominant)

mf = modifying frizzle gene (recessive)
Mf+ = non-modifying frizzle gene (wild type)

FF = homozygous frizzle (2 doses of the frizzle gene)
Ff+ = heterozygous frizzle (1 dose of the frizzle gene)

mfmf = homozygous modifying frizzle (2 doses of the modifying frizzle gene)

* The modifying gene needs two copies (homozygous) for ___expression, plus the frizzle gene. The frizzle gene needs at least one copy for ___expression, plus not homozygous for modifying genes (if heterozygous for frizzling Ff+).

So, as Glenda explained, if you breed two smoothies together (Ff+ mfmf X Ff+ mfmf), there is still the possibility of getting frizzled birds (FF mfmf), about 25%. Also breeding a smoothie (Ff+ mfmf) with a normal feathered bird (wild type f+f+ Mf+Mf+) will produce frizzle (Ff+ Mf+mf), & so on ……

The frizzle modifying gene apparently is quite common in non-frizzled birds.

you can email me for more information on frizzles PM me

 

[okiesoonergirl]

I have 11 almost 9 week old chicks. I bought 5 at the feed store, I think they are either white rock or leghorns, I'm not sure which. 1 of those 5 has the feather problem described in this post. I am trying to figure out what the problem is. Could he be frizzled? Frazzled? or perhaps just fruzzled? Seriously though, I've never heard of frizzled or frazzled. It sounds like a genetic disorder. Is that correct? Could it be something else? My other birds have feathered fully but this one, Cinderella is her (possibly his) name, just looks freaky. Is there something I should be doing? change in food? sequestering? slathering in sunscreen?