I had dozens that required no babying... ugly, near crestless, mottled colored birds who ran with the production birds.. but I don't know if you could get any further from standard to even call them silkies. LOL. They were fury and sold as "black meat chickens" just as well as they would have if they conformed to a standard. haha. Sorry couldn't help it. I have found the "show" type silkies are really feather brained and kind of just stand there... so fragile!
On the point about county fairs needing people to show, it was pretty sad at the evergreen state fair this year. I think I saw the open class half of the show? I went near the end and I only saw about 6 different exhibitors names. One exhibitor made up over half the birds... and they were mixes, production type hatchery birds, missing feathers, not really in any show condition, and one even had a massive ear infection you could easily see. I'd almost venture to guess that they didn't have enough birds so someone literally packed up and showed their entire yard bird flock. There was a stark contrast between that exhibitors stock and the few exhibitors who showed actual show birds in good condition and of one or two varieties.
I can see how it's important to fill spots at the fair, but also see how people who are "serious" about it may hesitate to bring their birds to a place where less than ideal birds are housed just a cage or two away. I'm in no place to complain because I have never participated myself, but am considering getting more involved once I have graduated.
