22 June 2016

N20 Allen & Ginter Prize & Game Chickens 21: Silky Cock


Here's another card I picked up from the N20 1891 Allen & Ginter Fifty Prize & Game Chickens set. This card features is entitled Silky Cock and features a rooster of the Silky (or Silkie) breed. This is the 21st card in my collection from this set, bringing me to 42% complete with the checklist.

By way of recommendation, if you want to know more about this breed of poultry, go to a general poultry site first and then search within that site or do a web search with a different term like 'Silky Chicken' or 'Silky Rooster.' I wouldn't recommend just typing 'Silky Cock' into Google and hitting Search. If you don't know why, just maintain your innocence and follow my suggestion. If you do know why, then that's probably the first thing you thought of upon reading the post title. I imagine my hit count is going to be uncharacteristically high on this post.

Silky Rooster head showing walnut comb, from FeatherSite
Silkies are a breed that was developed somewhere in Asia, with rumored origins in China, Java, Japan, and India. I showed the Silky Hen card from this set a couple of years ago. Males have a 'walnut' comb, which looks a bit like a brain or a tumor on the front of the head. These birds come in many colors, but their meat, skin, and bones all have a black tint to them. They lack barb and quill feathers, so they are covered with downy soft plumage.

That's about all I have to say about this one. I'm happy to have made so much progress on this set recently. These are definitely some cool cards.

10 comments:

  1. You've been making great progress (and I've enjoyed seeing all your acquisitions).

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    1. Every so often a nice big lot of them pops up somewhere. I occasionally get them in ones and twos, but usually it's from someone selling off a partial set. I imagine it will get harder to find new additions as I add more to my collection.

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    2. I just went and looked at your Ginter Fish from American Waters page. You're so close! What an accomplishment that will be!

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    3. Yeah, the fish have been a lot of fun (but the supply seems to be drying up)! Hard to find them in my price range (I don't really care about condition at all since the cards are over 100 years old already). Maybe by 2020 I'll have the full set (and you might beat me by finishing your set first)!

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    4. I guess we'll see. I think it might get harder to find them once I'm down to only needing a few more for the set.

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  2. How does it see with that thing on it's head?

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    1. That one is a pretty prominent example. I've seen plenty of combs on these birds that are smaller. Their eyes are on the sides of their heads rather than the front, so it probably doesn't obstruct as much as you'd think. If you spend much time with chickens you'll notice that they turn their heads to the side to look at you with one eye.

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  3. That is one odd looking chicken.

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    Replies
    1. It is one of the odder breeds out there.

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  4. I should find a copy of this card and hang it up in my classroom... then document the number of student comments and giggles. I probably would have enough content to create a blog. I might get fired. But I'd entertain a bunch of immature people like myself for a few days.

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