#1. Wry neck and # 2. a question about vaulted skulls in Silkies

[ESofVA]

1. Do chickens with wry neck recover if it is caused by a peck on the head??

2. I am gathering from reading here that a vaulted skull means that there is a soft spot (no skull bone) on the top of the head.
So, why do people it is a good feature in Silkies and breed for it? ( I think I am correct in this?) Isn't that adaptationaly inappropriate since it leaves them more susceptible to head injuries? Not that it really matters, I am just wondering and under no circumstances want to be taken offensively.

 

[ten chicks]

1. Do chickens with wry neck recover if it is caused by a peck on the head??

2. I am gathering from reading here that a vaulted skull means that there is a soft spot (no skull bone) on the top of the head.
So, why do people it is a good feature in Silkies and breed for it? ( I think I am correct in this?) Isn't that adaptationaly inappropriate since it leaves them more susceptible to head injuries? Not that it really matters, I am just wondering and under no circumstances want to be taken offensively.

I agree,i personally am against vaulted silkies. The vanity of humans always amazes me,breeding for a trait that can endanger an animal,just so it looks cute,there is something very fundamentally wrong with this. The exposed brain is a fact,and from my research birds with vaulted skulls are more susceptible to crooked/wry neck,also due to the fact that the brain is exposed,any peck can result in trauma to the brain. I have silkies and this greatly concerns me,i have decided to not breed my birds,as i have no desire to pass along a trait that may endanger them,all for the sake of looking "cute".

As for whether they can recover,some do and some die. Possibly fluid in/on the brain from injury may cause wry neck,vitamin deficiency is another. There are several treatment options, some are prednisone(reduces swelling)Vitamin E and Selenium has to be given together,polyvisol(without iron)and aspirin to help reduce swelling.

 

[ESofVA]

Not all Silkies have vaulted skulls. Wouldn't it be advantageous for people not caring to show, to breed for "non-vaulted" skulls to retain their integrity?? Breed for quality birds, just leave the vaulted skulled birds out of the breeding program. It shouldn't be hard to do. I would expect.
I really hate seeing Silkies that people breed that look only somewhat like they are supposed to, I have a hatchery red roo, too but I won't breed him. I have decided to keep him though as he is sooo silly! He has no beard, not many long feathers on his head or in his tail. He looks so funny when he crows, which is frequently, he runs around the chicken pen either trying to pick fights or running from them...including the standard size breeds and hens. He is probably the most active chicken I have and the only one I have never seen him try to fight is my Salmon Faverolles roo.