June 20, 2025

How Feathers Affect Type

Show Notes
Transcript

In this bonus episode of The Poultry Keepers Podcast, host Rip Stalvey takes a deep dive into a topic every breeder and exhibitor should understand: how feather development affects poultry type. Drawing insights from a timeless 1915 article by renowned poultry judge and illustrator Arthur O. Schilling, this episode explores how feathers influence our perception of conformation, structure, and maturity—and why learning to judge beyond the feathers is crucial.

Discover the difference between soft-feathered and hard-feathered breeds, why early feathering can be misleading, how cockerels and pullets develop differently, and what molting reveals about your birds. Whether you're evaluating show birds or selecting future breeders, this episode gives you the tools to train both your eye and your hand for better results in the coop and the showroom.

Visit us at www.thepoultrykeeperspodcast.com for more expert content, breeding tips, and bonus episodes. Don’t forget to subscribe, share this episode with a fellow poultry keeper, and keep breeding with purpose!

#PoultryKeepersPodcast #FeatherDevelopment #PoultryType #ChickenBreeding #ExhibitionPoultry #ShowBirdEvaluation #SelectiveBreeding #CockerelDevelopment #PulletsAndFeathers #MoltingInPoultry #BackyardChickens #HeritageBreeds

You can email us at - poultrykeeperspodcast@gmail.com
Join our Facebook Groups:

Poultry Keepers Podcast -
https://www.facebook.com/groups/907679597724837
Poultry Keepers 360 - - https://www.facebook.com/groups/354973752688125
Poultry Breeders Nutrition - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4908798409211973

Check out the Poultry Kepers Podcast YouTube Channel -
https://www.youtube.com/@PoultryKeepersPodcast/featured

WEBVTT

00:00:02.370 --> 00:00:06.299
Welcome back to another bonus episode of the Poultry Keepers podcast.

00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:13.960
I'm your host Rip Stalvey, and today we're diving into a topic that's been shaping the way breeders evaluate their birds for more than a century.

00:00:14.529 --> 00:00:16.839
How feather development affects type.

00:00:31.492 --> 00:00:34.758
Now, if you're thinking feathers, aren't those just for show?

00:00:35.648 --> 00:00:37.747
Well, you're not alone.

00:00:38.078 --> 00:00:52.688
A lot of folks think feathers are purely about looks, but the truth is, feather development plays a much deeper role in how we interpret structure, maturity, and overall quality in our birds, and that's exactly what we're talking about today.

00:00:53.737 --> 00:01:03.607
We're gonna be taking inspiration from a classic article written by Arthur O Shilling, a highly respected poultry judge and one of the best known poultry illustrators of his time.

00:01:04.358 --> 00:01:06.938
This article was written back in 1915.

00:01:07.237 --> 00:01:11.707
Yes, 1915, over a hundred years ago.

00:01:12.397 --> 00:01:15.638
It's called How Feather Development Affects Type.

00:01:16.117 --> 00:01:21.397
It originally ran in the American poultry world, and it's still one of the best takes on the subject.

00:01:22.058 --> 00:01:33.844
We'll go through shillings ideas, bring in some modern perspectives, and talk about how all of this applies to you as a breeder an exhibitor, or just someone who wants to understand conformation a little bit better.

00:01:35.239 --> 00:01:37.640
So let's start with something fundamental.

00:01:38.150 --> 00:01:40.219
Feathers don't just cover the bird.

00:01:40.519 --> 00:01:42.560
They shape how we see the bird.

00:01:43.340 --> 00:01:49.939
You can think of feathers like a soft outer shell that either highlights or hides the frame underneath.

00:01:50.802 --> 00:01:59.572
For example, soft feather birds like Orpingtons, Cochins, Brahmas, tend to look bigger, fuller, and rounder than they actually are.

00:02:00.052 --> 00:02:02.302
That's because of all the fluffy feathering.

00:02:03.487 --> 00:02:06.427
It fills in the gaps and smooths over edges.

00:02:06.908 --> 00:02:15.127
So what you see might look like depth and mass, but when you get your hands on the bird, it can tell you a very different story.

00:02:16.207 --> 00:02:21.467
Now contrast that with hard feather breeds like old English Game, Modern Game or Leghorns..

00:02:22.687 --> 00:02:25.987
These birds have tight, sleek plumage that clings to their body.

00:02:26.647 --> 00:02:31.812
What you see is pretty much what you get, because there's not much feather to hide behind.

00:02:33.098 --> 00:02:36.068
Weaknesses or strengths are immediately visible.

00:02:36.441 --> 00:02:36.860
So.

00:02:37.131 --> 00:02:38.540
Here's the first takeaway.

00:02:38.901 --> 00:02:48.080
If you're evaluating type, especially for a show or when making your breeding selections, it's not enough to rely on your eyes.

00:02:48.501 --> 00:02:50.691
You have to handle the bird.

00:02:51.411 --> 00:02:53.931
What looks broad might actually be narrow.

00:02:54.711 --> 00:02:58.971
What looks lean might actually be well framed.

00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:02.600
Every breed comes with its own feather type.

00:03:03.140 --> 00:03:06.036
Understanding that difference well is pretty important.

00:03:07.145 --> 00:03:13.686
A bird that looks beautifully balanced in one breed might appear too light or too chunky in another breed.

00:03:13.686 --> 00:03:18.395
Standards matter, and so does your ability to interpret what feathers are telling you.

00:03:18.996 --> 00:03:20.406
Or hiding from you.

00:03:21.515 --> 00:03:28.776
Another point that Schilling made, which still rings true today, is that early feathering can create an illusion of maturity.

00:03:29.765 --> 00:03:36.545
Birds that feather in quickly, especially pullets, often look more finished at four or five months old.

00:03:37.415 --> 00:03:43.385
Now, that can be tempting, especially for early season competitions, but here's the catch.

00:03:44.165 --> 00:03:53.105
Just because a bird looks put together early doesn't mean it has a skeletal maturity or long-term quality you want in a breeder.

00:03:54.515 --> 00:04:08.765
Late feathering birds, on the other hand, may look awkward, patchy, or immature for months, but if you handle'em and give them time, you might find a deeper frame, better bone and more overall potential.

00:04:09.545 --> 00:04:11.675
So patience is the key here.

00:04:12.216 --> 00:04:15.186
Don't get tricked by prettier sooner.

00:04:16.115 --> 00:04:19.475
Evaluate structure, not just the feather finish.

00:04:20.615 --> 00:04:25.656
And let's not forget that males and females develop differently too.

00:04:26.375 --> 00:04:29.192
Pullets tend to feather in faster and more evenly.

00:04:29.733 --> 00:04:30.362
At a glance.

00:04:30.362 --> 00:04:32.372
They often look more balanced and refined.

00:04:32.882 --> 00:04:34.923
While cockerels, not so much.

00:04:35.793 --> 00:04:48.062
They usually feather in slower, especially in the hackle and saddle feathers that can leave them looking long, skinny, or just plain awkward, even when they're genetically excellent.

00:04:49.023 --> 00:04:59.072
So if you're culling young males because they don't look as good as their sisters early on, remember that some of your best breeders might be those late blooming cockerels.

00:04:59.898 --> 00:05:04.577
Learn to judge them based on frame and not feathers alone.

00:05:04.644 --> 00:05:06.954
Molting adds another layer to the challenge.

00:05:07.584 --> 00:05:10.374
During a Molt, birds often look completely different.

00:05:11.093 --> 00:05:14.543
Soft feathered birds often look messy and small.

00:05:14.874 --> 00:05:18.353
Hard feathered birds may seem sharper or even too lean.

00:05:19.553 --> 00:05:24.923
But here's the thing, molt is temporary, structure is not.

00:05:25.733 --> 00:05:26.754
Lemme repeat that.

00:05:27.113 --> 00:05:31.043
Molt is temporary, structure is not.

00:05:31.644 --> 00:05:36.803
A trained eye knows how to look past a rough molt and evaluate the frame underneath.

00:05:37.434 --> 00:05:40.194
Plus, How a bird comes through the Molt, can tell you a lot.

00:05:40.853 --> 00:05:46.014
Good feather regrowth depends on nutrition, health and genetics.

00:05:46.254 --> 00:05:50.574
So the Molt isn't just a reset, it's also a reveal.

00:05:51.999 --> 00:05:54.579
Feather development isn't just visual.

00:05:54.819 --> 00:06:01.869
It's genetic feather texture, feathering timing, and placement can be passed down.

00:06:02.858 --> 00:06:14.903
If you're consistently selecting birds that feather appropriately for their breed type and standard, you're reinforcing good traits, and over time, your flocks quality improves, not just in looks.

00:06:15.533 --> 00:06:17.213
But in type and utility.

00:06:18.084 --> 00:06:31.374
But if you're only selecting based on how birds look at four or five months without handling or evaluating the frame, you could end up with birds that look nice early, but fail to carry that good structure long term.

00:06:32.603 --> 00:06:37.314
So let's wrap this up with what I think is Schilling's most powerful reminder.

00:06:38.514 --> 00:06:46.538
Train your eyes and your hands, train your eyes and your hands.

00:06:47.288 --> 00:06:49.749
Anyone can learn to appreciate a pretty bird.

00:06:50.108 --> 00:06:50.738
We all do.

00:06:51.668 --> 00:07:00.548
But to be a serious breeder or an effective judge, you've got to feel for width of back, depth of breast, and length of keel.

00:07:01.119 --> 00:07:03.788
You have to go beyond birds appearances.

00:07:04.449 --> 00:07:14.468
That means picking up birds, comparing siblings, watching how feathers create an optical illusion, and talking with folks who've been doing this for a while.

00:07:15.309 --> 00:07:20.709
So train yourself to look through the feathers, not just at them.

00:07:21.848 --> 00:07:26.588
Hey, thanks again for joining me on this bonus episode of the Poultry Keepers podcast.

00:07:27.038 --> 00:07:33.999
If this conversation helped you see your birds a little bit differently, do me a favor, share it with a friend who loves poultry as much as you do.

00:07:34.329 --> 00:07:39.879
And don't forget to subscribe so you won't miss a future episode of The Poultry Keepers Podcast.

00:07:40.358 --> 00:07:48.759
Now you can head over to www.thepoultrykeeperspodcast.com for lots more information.

00:07:49.478 --> 00:07:57.428
Until next time, keep learning, keep breeding with purpose and never stop improving the birds you love.