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Understanding Feather Type

Smooth, silkied and frizzle feathers explained. Why feathers differ and how to breed for a certain feather type, which to cross and which crosses to avoid.

Sarah Barratt

2 min read

Chickens have several feather types that are controlled by specific genes. The three mentioned—normal, frizzle, and silkied—are among the best understood. Their inheritance patterns differ, making some much easier to produce consistently than others.

1. Normal Feathering

Normal feathering is considered the "wild type" or standard feather structure.

Genetics

  • Gene: Normal allele at the frizzle locus (fr+) and normal allele at the silkie locus (H).

  • Normal feathering is dominant over silkie feathering simply because silkie requires two recessive alleles.

  • At the frizzle locus, normal is recessive to a single frizzle allele but dominant over the absence of a frizzle phenotype.

If we simplify:

TraitGenotypeNormal (not frizzled)fr+/fr+Normal (silkie locus)H/H or H/h

A bird can carry silkie without showing it.

2. Frizzle Feathering

Frizzle feathers curl outward instead of lying flat against the body.

Genetics

The frizzle gene (F) is incompletely dominant.

GenotypeAppearancef+/f+NormalF/f+Frizzle (ideal)F/FExtreme frizzle ("curl" or "frazzle")

Important point

The homozygous form (F/F) is generally undesirable.

These birds often have:

  • brittle feathers

  • sparse feather coverage

  • difficulty regulating body temperature

  • reduced show quality

For this reason, responsible breeders usually avoid producing F/F birds.

Reliable breeding

Best cross

Frizzle × Normal

F/f+ × f+/f+

Produces:

  • 50% Frizzle

  • 50% Normal

No frazzles.

This is the standard recommendation.

Frizzle × Frizzle

F/f+ × F/f+

Produces

  • 25% Normal

  • 50% Frizzle

  • 25% Frazzle

Because one-quarter of chicks are expected to be frazzled, this mating is generally avoided.

3. Silkie Feathering

Silkie feathers lack the tiny hooklets (barbicels) that normally zip the feather together.

Instead of forming a flat vane, the feather separates into soft fibers, producing the fluffy appearance.

Genetics

The Silkie gene (h) is recessive.

GenotypeAppearanceH/HNormalH/hNormal carrierh/hSilkied

Only birds with h/h express the trait.

Reliable breeding

Silkie × Silkie

h/h × h/h

Produces

  • 100% Silkied

This is the only way to guarantee every chick is silkied.

Carrier × Carrier

H/h × H/h

Produces

  • 25% Normal

  • 50% Carrier

  • 25% Silkied

Silkie × Carrier

h/h × H/h

Produces

  • 50% Silkied

  • 50% Carrier

Silkie × Normal (non-carrier)

h/h × H/H

Produces

  • 100% Carriers

  • 0% Silkied

Combining Frizzle and Silkie

The two genes assort independently.

A bird can therefore be:

  • normal

  • frizzled

  • silkied

  • frizzled silkie

A frizzled silkie has fluffy feathers that also curl outward.

Example

Suppose:

Parent 1

F/f+ h/h

Parent 2

f+/f+ h/h

Offspring

  • 50% Frizzled Silkies

  • 50% Normal-feathered Silkies

This is commonly used because it avoids producing frazzles while maintaining the silkie feather type.

Summary of Inheritance

TraitGeneInheritanceHomozygous effectNormalWild type—Standard featherFrizzleFIncompletely dominantF/F gives excessive curling ("frazzle")SilkiehRecessiveh/h gives silkied feathers

Breeding Strategies

GoalRecommended matingExpected result100% NormalNormal × NormalAll normal50% FrizzleFrizzle × Normal50% frizzle, 50% normal100% SilkieSilkie × SilkieAll silkied50% SilkieSilkie × CarrierHalf silkiedFrizzled SilkiesFrizzled Silkie × Normal-feathered Silkie50% frizzled silkies, 50% normal silkies

Notes on Other Feather-Modifying Genes

Frizzle and silkie are only two of many genes affecting feather structure. Others include:

  • Naked Neck (Na): Dominant; reduces feathering on the neck.

  • Scaleless (sc): Recessive; causes near-complete absence of feathers.

  • Crest (Cr): Dominant; produces a crest of feathers on the head.

  • Muffs and Beard (Mb): Dominant; produces facial feathering.

  • Feathered Legs (multiple loci): Polygenic with major-effect genes influencing shank and toe feathering.

In practical breeding, maintaining separate lines—for example, a high-quality frizzle line (heterozygous F/f+) and a normal-feathered line, or a pure silkie (h/h) line and a carrier line—allows breeders to produce predictable proportions of the desired feather type while avoiding undesirable genotypes such as F/F frazzles.