My (smooth) Sizzles *post your pics too!*

[Sock Puppet]

Quote:
Nope, a sizzle can be smooth feathered or frizzled. Just like some breeds of dogs have different coats, same applies to the sizzles. This is my favorite smooth sizzle.
There is a lot of debate about the standards of sizzles... as far as I know, there is no standard.
http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/upintheholler/Frizzles/000_0434.jpghttp://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/upintheholler/Frizzles/000_0424.jpg

Thanks upintheholler. I was trying to remember all the details about the Sizzles/sizzles but it was escaping me. You explained it really well.

 

[Bleenie]

Okay, you guys convinced me... upintheholler, that hen is really pretty!

So, will some of their chicks be silked?

 

[Sock Puppet]

Quote:
That I am not sure of. I had a frizzle silkie sizzle once. Ugliest chicken ever.

 

[PeepsInc]

 

[sarahssizzles]

Greetings All

To answer some of your questions on exactly what is a Sizzle? Do they have a standard? What do I breed/look for? Etc so...I have been putting this info out there for those interested.

SIZZLES are a cross between a Frizzled Cochin & a Silkie. The current STANDARD we are working with is the Silkie standard with one big difference. We want a hard frizzled feather on a Sizzle - NOT a frizzled silkie feather! We are following all the silkie standard except for the type of feather. Crest, turquoise ears, feathered feet, five toes, comb, skin color, everything except for the feather type follows the Silkie standard. Because of the general rule of thumb of not breeding frizzle to frizzle, we have also decided on a variety of smooth sizzles.

Simply for the sake of clear & easy communications, we tend to use the capital S for frizzled Sizzles & the small s for smooth sizzles...so you don't have to write it out every time!.

It takes generations to develop a new breed & Sizzles are an extra challenge because of the genetics of frizzle coats, # of toes, skin & comb coloration, all on top of your usual breeding challenges. In the beginning you get 4 types - smooths, frizzled hard feathers, frizzled silkie feathers & silkie feathers. Breeding your sizzle smooths back to your Sizzles (hard frizzled) strengthens your good traits. The hardest initial challenges are getting the correct combs & 5 toes. Check you traits & breed for what you want ie; a light pigmented bird to a dark, straight comb to walnut, 4 toes to 5 etc. Choose your best stock & breed to reduce faults & increase desired results. After that it's working on stabilizing & improving type. It took me 5 generations to weed out 4 toed birds in favor of 5 toes & I'm still getting some straight combs and some light pigmentation. In the earlier generations it is not uncommon to see only 25% with frizzled feathers & that doesn’t take into account getting the proper crests, toes, color or combs.

F1 do NOT a Sizzle make. That takes time & dedication ..it's a process and a very challenging & interesting one at that!

I have been breeding only back into my own lines, since I started out with a sizable gene pool. I’ve been hatching over 200 chicks per year. My F5 generation produced about 30-35% birds that I considered progressed far enough to keep & I still have my share of faults to breed out. In the earlier generations I was seeing only about 10 – 20%. I'm taking a clue from some of the other successful breeders this year & breeding back to Silkie roos to strengthen my characteristics. The challenge there is then I increase the chance of getting Silkie feathers, which we don't want but, I feel my lines are fairly strong at this point & want the infusion of traits that I still need to improve my breeding.

I am by no means an expert, either on chickens or on genetics but, I have some practical experience & because of the great people on the Sizzle list, I’ve learned lots. I have tried to keep track of the information on BYC about Sizzles & realized that there is a lot of confusions so I hope by sharing some basic information it will help others

To answer some of the questions I’ve been asked, I would avoid breeding back to Cochins if at all possible as you really only breed to them for the frizzled feathers & don't want the other traits. If you don't have a smooth sizzle roo to breed your frizzled Sizzle girls back to, try a Silkie roo. You'll get a higher % of silkie coats but, most of them will have the SIZZLE genes & you can breed them back to a barbed coated Sizzle next year.

If you are going to show, I found it a good idea to "suggest" to your judge that he use the Silkie standard with the difference in feather change to hard frizzled or hard smooth as his base standard to work from. That is the standard we are using on the Sizzle list http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sizzles/ where you can also find pics from the members of their development of the birds. This list was started to bring anyone interested in Sizzles together so we could work out exactly these kinds of issues and start speaking as "one voice" on exactly what Sizzles are. We are young and we are growing and I'm sure there will be changes as we develop. It's exciting & frustrating & very fulfilling to be part of the development of a breed and one of the more rewarding hobbies I've ever had!

Thanks for letting me "spout off" about my favorite little "muppets". I hope this helps clarify some of the general questions out there. There is a lot more in depth information available that just takes some asking & digging to get to. If I can be of any assistance in that quest well, it helps me learn too!

Best of Luck!
SarahsSizzles