What Kind of Rooster Do I Put in With Sizzle Hens?

Sizzle chickens result from a cross between a silkie and a frizzle feathered breed. Not yet recognized as a breed by the American Poultry Association or the American Bantam Association, the standard characteristics of sizzle birds are yet to be determined. However, those in the process of developing the sizzle type are breeding for silkie color and build characteristics with fuzzy wind-whisked feathers similar to frizzle feathers.

  1. Frizzles

    • Not a specific breed, frizzle feathered birds carry a gene which causes their feathers to curl outwards. Breeds known to carry the frizzle feathered gene include frizzle Cochin, frizzle Japanese, frizzle Polish and black frizzle Plymouth Rock. Frizzle chickens come in standard size or bantam size. A chick only needs to inherit the frizzle gene from one parent to exhibit the frizzle feathered trait, so it is possible to breed many frizzle hybrids by crossing a frizzle breed with a smooth-feathered breed.

    Silkies

    • An American Poultry Association recognized breed, silkies must conform to specific breed standards. They are small birds, with soft silky hair-like feathers, feathered legs, and an extra toe on each foot. Some silkie varieties exhibit beards and some do not. Due to their feather structure, silkies cannot fly, so they need low perches and nesting areas. Silkie color varieties include black, blue, buff, gray, partridge and white.

    Sizzles

    • Not yet a recognized breed, sizzles can correctly be referred to as a silkie and frizzle hybrid. Most sizzle breeders cross frizzle Cochins with silkies to obtain the first hybrid generation. The desired sizzle traits include small body size, leg feathers, beards, silkie coloring, and curly ornamental body feathers. As the breed develops, the desired traits may change or become more specific.

    Genetics and Breeding

    • A frizzle feathered bird carries one frizzle gene. Most birds who inherit two frizzle genes do not survive hatching. Those who do survive are called frazzles, and often suffer from feather, skin and organ deformities. To achieve a sizzle, you must breed a frizzle chicken to a silkie. There will always be a fifty percent chance that the offspring will inherit the frizzle trait and a fifty percent chance that they will not. The smooth-feathered roosters from this initial cross-breeding may be bred to sizzle hens. Otherwise, sizzle hens bred back to purebred silkie roosters will promote the sought-after silkie traits in the sizzle offspring.