Not frizzled. What is with these feathers

[Shell from Zim]

So on closer inspection of my chicks wing feathers. They appear to be split shafted. The rest of their feathers are fluff. Like silkie fluff. It's very soft and is basically like down feathers. Their feathers don't curl backwards. The few wing feathers are their only real..ish looking feathers. My birds are supposedly Pekin cross egb. They can't fly but they do use their wings to gain and lose height. Between 25% to half of hatched chicks have these feathers. From all smooth parents except 1 fluffy hen who has 2 fluffy chicks and 1 smooth in her clutch. I first thought it was the frizzled gene these birds have, but now I think they have silkie type feathers. No other sign of silkie in their features or disposition. Can anyone tell me if silkie wing feathers do this? Or enlighten me on if this is some sort of genetic fault. They are very healthy birds otherwise.

Thanks great peeps. Compliments of the merry festive season to all

 

[Shell from Zim]

I read that Japanese bantams often throw silkie and frizzles so I was wondering if they may have some Japanese genes in them as opposed to pekin or oegb

 

[Kiraeh]

It does look a lot like silkie feathers, my silkies often have that sort of beat up look to their wing feathers, which are generally their only real feathers.
It is a recessive gene, so both parents can be carriers but not show it, and still have around 25% or their offspring who have two copies of the gene and do show, which does track with what you're seeing.

 

[chickenhappy1233]

do they have feathers on their feet? if they dont they are not cochin crosses. they look like they have green legs from the photo which cochins do not have. the legs are short like a serama or japanese bantam and there are silkied seramas. they look like mixed colors to.

 

[Shell from Zim]

It does look a lot like silkie feathers, my silkies often have that sort of beat up look to their wing feathers, which are generally their only real feathers.
It is a recessive gene, so both parents can be carriers but not show it, and still have around 25% or their offspring who have two copies of the gene and do show, which does track with what you're seeing.

Ahh thank you so much for clarifying that for me. I love the soft fluffy feathers, but the birds aren't exactly stunning to look at Sssh don't tell them I said that.. haha. They are a lot shyer than their smooth siblings. The smooth chicks feathers are extremely satiny and a lot softer than the other bantam chicks feathers which are pretty hard by comparison.

Will be interesting to see if any actually come out frizzled as well as silkied.

Thanks again

 

[Shell from Zim]

do they have feathers on their feet? if they dont they are not cochin crosses. they look like they have green legs from the photo which cochins do not have. the legs are short like a serama or japanese bantam and there are silkied seramas. they look like mixed colors to.

Yes they have feathered feet.. some pretty heavily. They have very short tealy to slate coloured legs. I am currently working in a garden that has little cochins.. my birds are very different in looks and actions. Regarding colours.. up till now they have been bbr and wheaten colours. Looking to see how these chicks colour up tho

I don't know anything about seramas so will look them up thanks. I know the Japanese also cone in silkied so I do think they must have some in their genes.

Thanks again for your input

 

[Kiraeh]

Ahh thank you so much for clarifying that for me. I love the soft fluffy feathers, but the birds aren't exactly stunning to look at Sssh don't tell them I said that.. haha. They are a lot shyer than their smooth siblings. The smooth chicks feathers are extremely satiny and a lot softer than the other bantam chicks feathers which are pretty hard by comparison.

Will be interesting to see if any actually come out frizzled as well as silkied.

Thanks again

I find that silkies take a long time to fully feather and kinda look scraggly for aaaaages before they start looking plush and soft. So maybe there's hope for your babies too?

It's really neat how many other feather modifications there are! I've seen the soft-fluffy vs smooth-tight feathers in my flock also.

I don't think you have any frizzles though, it shows right away and you can tell in the first week.

 

[Shell from Zim]

I find that silkies take a long time to fully feather and kinda look scraggly for aaaaages before they start looking plush and soft. So maybe there's hope for your babies too?

It's really neat how many other feather modifications there are! I've seen the soft-fluffy vs smooth-tight feathers in my flock also.

I don't think you have any frizzles though, it shows right away and you can tell in the first week.

Thank you Kiraeh, you are a star. I'm actually relieved as I don't have to stress about frizzxfrizz frazzies, and can keep a mix of both feathered chicks without stressing about those potential issues.

Yes my silkied chicks are all much littler and much less mature than the satiny smooth ones. Will be interesting if they have similar colours and markings, but in silk form, to their smooth sibs. My silkie pullets necks are golding up so hopefully they'll be 'swans' later lol