Calling OldTimers: Will a chicken with wry tail or scoliosis lay well?

PostCarbonPioneer

Chirping
9 Years
Jan 5, 2011
22
2
85
Hi there.

I hatched out 26 Black Rocks from a RIR roo and BarredRock hens. No idea where the genetics came from, but only one girl has the wry tail, which until I searched here on BYC, didn't know was an existing problem--thank you for that !

So this girl seems fine and gets around well--she's no easier to catch than her other 25 sisters. Eating well. I have no plans to breed the Black Rocks back to their daddy. They have been laying for about a month, and I only noticed her spine lately--all the Blacks run around so much it's hard to see. Don't recall a problem when I banded her, but then, I wasn't looking for anything like that either.

My question is: Generally, how do chickens with scoliosis / wry tail lay? Better? Worse? Same ? Don't want to take her out of her environment to test--that would disrupt anyone's schedule.

Loved the OldTimer thread--wish we could mark at the beginning the posts with their advice.....

PCP
 
I have a Weslummer with wry tail and she lays me a dark egg about every other day. She doesnt seem to have a problem. She was the only one that hatched out of eggs I got shipped to me from an egg swap, so I dont know if it was the shipping or maybe something I did in incubation or genetics. I dont intend to breed her either and she doesnt seem to be bothered by it.
 
If she is getting around well, all you can do is give her a chance. She should be fine. Be prepared to put her down if she has trouble with laying.

The egg manufacture equipment doesn't have anything to do with the spine, so she should make eggs. All you have to watch is to make sure she doesn't have problems with laying.

I wouldn't breed her in case it is genetic.
 
I'm not an old-timer, but I have an EE with a slightly wry tail and she lays every single day, like clockwork--my best layer.
I wouldn't think a spinal issue would be linked with laying, but I read an article about eye prominance being an indication of egg-laying reliability, so go figure!
 
Little Sister has wry tail and lays eggs with no problem-even in the winter! I wouldn't use her for breeding. She's an extremely poor quality Jersey Giant.

57171_img_9549.jpg
 
Thanks, all, very helpful to get these perspectives. Especially that the spine doesn't have anything to do with the oviduct. Many thanks. PCP
 
I have a different take based in part on fish. Fish I raise exhibiting either lordosis or scoliosis tend to have reduced reproductive potential. Something went wrong during developement and effects seemed not to be restricted the spine. Similar affect chickens seem to grow slower and not fly well at all so affect in chickens might be more widespread than just vertebrae.
 

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