HatTrick Silkies Articles Vaulted Skulls

Vaulted Skulls
~ Nikki Stetson

I am going to share my thoughts and personal opinion on 'Vaulted Skulls' in Silkies.
OK, so, what is a "vaulted skull"?
A vaulted skull is a hole in the top portion of the skull. It has been said this genetic trait was introduced into silkies via crosses to Polish. The Polish were bred into Silkies to improve crest size.
It sounds reasonable to me.

So, what happens with this 'hole in the head'?
Well, since there is an opening, it allows a portion of the brain to protrude through the opening. It's not as freaky as it sounds as it's covered with skin and feathers.

So then what's the big deal?
Some believe that a vaulted skulled silkie meant a bigger crest.
Is that true?
Well, not necessarily. Unfortunately it's one of those terms that gets used and then abused
and suddenly it's the newest it term.

Here is my experience;
Back in the day it usually meant the chick was a pullet. But as my birds improved over the years, and my males became typier, I saw that some of my males were hatching with vaults as well. I have seen some evidence that a vaulted skull in a male silkie can improve the appearance of their crest. The vault sits behind the comb area and gives a nicer rise to the crest. But at this point I am not convinced.
I think I'm just trying to find a reason that makes a vault beneficial. I honestly think good old fashioned selective breeding is all you need to make a nice crest.

My conclusions on the vaulted skull are this;
I don't breed for or not-for vaults. It does occur in our birds. What I breed for is a full, globular shape that does not fall flat in the front. It should be nice and round and even in shape (like a ball). Your breeder birds dictate crest shape, vaulted skulls or not. If they have a nice, round, upright crest, they pass that along to their offspring. If they have a floppy crest, uneven, falls in the front, etc, that also passes on and will set itself in your line. Personally, that's not what I like to see. I feel a vault doesn't really matter to me one way or the other. Some people believe a vault automatically ensures a larger crest, but I don't find that to be true.

UPDATE: I recently hatched a naked neck silkie (or showgirl) who has very little fuzz on the head. It is a great opportunity to show a vault without the fuzz. Now I know I said they were covered and typically they are - not sure what happened to this little guy, but he sure is cute!

The blue gal at the top of the page does not have a vaulted skull.

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