What to do with a frazzle or curly chick

[hecatesmoon]

I ended up with a frazzle and a frizzle chick. I wasn't too thrilled about the frazzle, but decided I was ok with it. I know people like frizzles, and all frizzle chicks might be a way to take something off feed cost now and then. BUT I just watched this little frazzle jump and its feathers brush the box and one broke off. Just like that, just that easy. Now I'm thinking frizzle chicks or no, this just isn't right. A bird that can't keep warm in winter, that can't fly to reach a perch, that sun burns, and whose feathers will break off in a breeze? I feel bad for this bird. The thing is, these birds are not my pets. I like my birds, care about my birds, but they are not pets. They are for eggs and meat for my household, and while I may be willing to put out a lower perch, I have no intention of making other special accomodations like clothes for a chicken or shading my entire run, or having a chicken in my house or running up a higher electric bill by heating my coop for this single bird, strapping on a mini umbrella, or slathering it down with sunscreen etc etc etc. I thought before "well it will probably be ok...I think....I hope..." but after what I just saw... I'm second guessing this bird. So...what do I do with it? Try and sell it as a pet to someone? Let it stay through the summer and sell or slaughter it before winter? I'm not too sure, as I had never even heard of frizzling or frazzling before I figured out that I had one by searching to figure out what in the world was wrong with these chicks feathers!

 

[Georgia Boy 1970]

If it turns out to be a male I would keep him and breed him to regular feathered hens and you should get all frizzle chicks. But if it is a female I would not breed her because if her feathers are really brittle she may be harmed during breeding. This is just my opinion. Whatever you decide to do you it could make a pet for someone.

 

[hecatesmoon]

That's what I decided to do with it originally, was breed it, and I read they were fragile, but I didn't realize they were that fragile. If I kept it, wouldn't it need all kinds of special accomodations? It doesn't seem right to cull, which is probably too soft hearted, but I don't feel like its fair to deny it ALL life simply because whatever hatchery it came from was more interested in a dollar than in monitoring which bird was breeding with which bird. If I'm not mistaken, there are people that do like frazzles too, but those people I think seek them out and are prepared to offer accomodations. I'm just not. That's unfair to the chick. So try to find a home for the little one, then... that probably is best.

 

[Georgia Boy 1970]

It would make someone a good pet.

 

[bigmike&nan]

We have a passle of frizzle bantam cochins, real beauties. We have white, black, and golden. In fact our Millie Fleur Bantam Cochin girls both had frizzles, one is a boy, totally adorable. When the frizzles are all feathered in they are glorious, when they molt some really molt big time and the look like someone prepared them for the stew pot. BUT the feathers grow back and wow they are the nicest girls - and frizzle make great broody hens and even better Moms... You get a boy frizzle hang onto him if he's got a decent temperament.