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Frizzle Chickens

Frizzle Cock
No. of Eggs
2.2/5
Easy to Keep?
3.5/5

Uses: Exhibition.
Eggs: 160 white or tinted eggs.
Origin:
Asia?
Weight: Cock: 3.6Kg, Hen: 2.7Kg.
Bantam Cock: 680-790g Bantam Hen: 570-680g
Colours: Buff, Black, Black-Red, Brown-Red, Blue, Columbian, Cuckoo, Duckwing, Pile, Red, Spangled and White.
Useful to Know: Mating Frizzles will give 25% smooth feathered, 25% very frizzled and 50% frizzled (of varying quality). All of the offspring are still called Frizzles.
Photo: Best Frizzle at the Fed. 2011 – G.D Brearley & Son

The origins of the Frizzle are difficult to track down. Some texts refer to Asia – Japan in particular but other countries seemed to have the Frizzle for a long time and there are texts from the 1800’s that mention India, Egypt and South Africa. Whatever their exact origins are, it is clear that they were around for many centuries in various qualities but started to become more standardised and gained popularity, reaching the US and Europe by the time the first poultry shows were held.

The make up of the Frizzle is also somewhat of a mystery although the Silkie would be the most probable ancestor. The frizzle feathered Poland or Japanese Bantam have similar feathering but are not considered as Frizzles. They are covered by their own respective breed standards and clubs.

The Frizzle Society of Great Britain was formed in 1978.

Breeding Hints

Mating Frizzles will give 25% smooth feathered, 25% very frizzled and 50% frizzled (of varying quality). It is best to keep some smooth frizzled pullets as mating a very frizzled pair will cause deterioration in feather quality after a couple of generations. Less feather follicles cause the offspring to have bald patches over their body.

Photos

Books

The following books are available. Links take you to the Amazon or other sellers’ pages for the books.

Breed Clubs

These are the breed clubs for Frizzles:

  • UK: The Frizzle Society of Great Britain
  • US: The National Frizzle Club of America

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