Hands on feeling for roachback

[Egghead_Jr]

Hey all, looking for some clarification about hump back aka roachback birds. Our local fair started today and we decided to enter a pair. The birds are only 15 weeks now so have not been putting serious culling pressure on them but did note a few roachback cockerels over the past few weeks. To pick out a pair for the fair I tossed all the 15 week olds into a small pen to look them over. To the eye it seemed there was a high percentage of humped back in the K's. With hand and forearm holding the bird and running flat of hand from shoulder to tail a slight curve was felt on very few. All I can figure is my mind was seeing a hump where there wasn't, the way the birds happen to be posturing/age or I'm just not holding the bird properly to detect the hump with hand that I thought was there visually.

Can someone detail how to hold and hands on check for roachback?

 

[snowbird]

Best way to hand check for roach back is place your right hand under the bird from the back end between the legs. Take your left hand and run on the back from the neck to the tail. The roach will usually be above where the leg comes out of the body. Most roach back can be seen from just looking real close. The roach back is real hereditary and you will have to cull real heavy if you actually have it involved. Good luck.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Thanks, I'll give that holding from behind a try. Think most of what I was seeing is due to the awkward age and posturing of the birds.

On a side note we got best pair of show. My boy is tickled and wanted to take home the trophy today. Fun stuff.