Undecided

[Tonyroo]

When hatching your own flock and come across some chicks with feet deformities. Like the toes bent away from where they should be.

Would that be from degrading genetics of both the parent?

Or inaccurate incubation conditions?

I had culled a baby chick from my hatch due to this condition. I also have another chick with a lesser degree of feet deformity. It's bent back outward on it's outer feet but able to walk. I might have to cull that one also later on depending how well it's able to walk as it gets older.

Just need opinions and thoughts on this.

 

[phasianidae]

Hard to say, could be genetic, incubation conditions, or something else. If you are hatching from a variety of birds that are not closely related its probably due to conditions during incubation. If you want to experiment, try breeding two of the deformed ones together and see what you get, best way to learn.

 

[SourRoses]

It can be caused by either... but if some are affected from the same hatch where others are fine, I lean towards genetics.
Out of lots of hatches, I only had one, ten years ago, with bent toes. It was the first run of a DIY incubator that I couldn't keep steady (I mean it was all over the place).
One chick hatched who turned into a fabulous hen, and the other was the roo with bent toes, who we decided not to breed and rehomed. It was a mild case and he got around fine.

I never "help" hatches so I haven't gotten stuck with any obvious deformities.
A couple failure to thrive here and there, and one with dwarfism that didn't get past the brooder stage for all that she tried and was so plucky.

I'd say it's been at least 200 chicks we've raised over the years, to put it in perspective.

 

[Tonyroo]

Every hatch made in 2 1/2 years, only came from my rooster and his original sibling hen. I can't confirm if they are actually brother and sister either.