Deformity or Battle Scar?

I have 9 cockerels that are 9.5 weeks old. Over the next two weeks, I need to pick my best two to keep intact for the flock and the rest will get the ol' snipsnip. The one I like best for all the other reasons has a flaw. One of his wattles is smaller than the other. I think it's a battle scar from a pecking-order fight with another cockerel probably several weeks ago now, which is okay; but if it's a deformity, I don't want to breed him.

Does this look like a battle scar or a deformity?

I have a rooster with uneven wattles.
One side has a strip missing, due to fighting.

AllynTal said:

I have 9 cockerels that are 9.5 weeks old. Over the next two weeks, I need to pick my best two to keep intact for the flock and the rest will get the ol' snipsnip. The one I like best for all the other reasons has a flaw. One of his wattles is smaller than the other. I think it's a battle scar from a pecking-order fight with another cockerel probably several weeks ago now, which is okay; but if it's a deformity, I don't want to breed him. Does this look like a battle scar or a deformity?

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In my opinion it is way to early to pick your breeders. I wouldn't even consider doing that before 6-7 months...sometimes later. Chickens can change a lot in a couple months. Matt

Matt1616 said:

In my opinion it is way to early to pick your breeders. I wouldn't even consider doing that before 6-7 months...sometimes later. Chickens can change a lot in a couple months.

Matt

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I appreciate what you're saying, but I can't wait 6 or 7 months. I have until about 12 weeks to caponize the cockerels. If I wait 6 or 7 months, I miss the window in which I can caponize the rest.

So, do you think that is a battle scar or a deformity?

Looks like a battle scar to me. It would be smooth along the edges where it healed up. That round bit looks like a bite.

AllynTal said:

 I appreciate what you're saying, but I can't wait 6 or 7 months. I have until about 12 weeks to caponize the cockerels. If I wait 6 or 7 months, I miss the window in which I can caponize the rest.

So, do you think that is a battle scar or a deformity?

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I think it looks more like an injury but I would think you would have noticed the injury if a big chunk like that was torn off at some point. Did you raise them or have you gotten the birds recently?

Matt

Bantambird said:

Looks like a battle scar to me. It would be smooth along the edges where it healed up. That round bit looks like a bite.

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Your rooster looks like a handsome fellow, Bantam. The tattered wattle makes him look more formidable. Yeah, I really want it to be a battle scar.

Matt1616 said:

I think it looks more like an injury but I would think you would have noticed the injury if a big chunk like that was torn off at some point. Did you raise them or have you gotten the birds recently?

Matt

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I raised them, and yeah, I would have thought I'd have noticed it, too. I didn't band them until about 6 weeks and before that they all looked alike to me -- well, the pullets all looked alike and the cockerels all looked alike. If the injury occurred when the wattles were just coming in, I may not have noticed until the uninjured wattle was big enough to show me the difference, so it may not have been a big injury when it happened. just an injury that left a noticeable disfigurement. Some of the cockerels still have smaller wattles and I have a couple that are really filling out early. It sounds like I'm making excuses, but I never saw any blood. I noticed the difference a couple of weeks ago, but it didn't really come into play until now when I'm deciding who gets the snipsnip and who gets to keep their jewels.

If y'all think it is a battle injury, I'll let him keep his jewels. I have 30 eggs in the incubator, so this won't be my last chance for a good breeding rooster.