Which rooster might be best to keep for breeding

[Cheekychook12]

I would try hatching chicks from the hen under another roo just to check her genetics as well. Since the roo has a rare coloring gene and you really want chicks from him any hen would do if the hen turns out to be the problem. You could also try the roo with a different hen and see if the problem continues.

Edited for typos and afterthoughts

I strongly doubt the hen is the problem, but the roo didn’t have wry neck so
I did notice that there is one chick that looks exactly like the father, and that is the one without problems
Yeah I will try that this spring

 

[redinator]

I strongly doubt the hen is the problem, but the roo didn’t have wry neck so
I did notice that there is one chick that looks exactly like the father, and that is the one without problems
Yeah I will try that this spring

I don't know enough about genetics to know whether or not wry neck is a genetic issue or if something just went wrong during incubation/sitting. If the hen is a first time mom it could be something as simple as she didn't turn the eggs often enough or correctly during the incubation/sitting process.

 

[Cheekychook12]

I don't know enough about genetics to know whether or not wry neck is a genetic issue or if something just went wrong during incubation/sitting. If the hen is a first time mom it could be something as simple as she didn't turn the eggs often enough or correctly during the incubation/sitting process.

Hen was a first time mum but I did take the eggs after lockdown because she had mites, both chicks hatched without issue too
I suspect it was a nutrient deficiency because it did get better with vitamins

 

[redinator]

Hen was a first time mum but I did take the eggs after lockdown because she had mites, both chicks hatched without issue too
I suspect it was a nutrient deficiency because it did get better with vitamins

I wouldn't count either out after one mishap. Sometimes these things take a bit of trial and error to figure out where the problem comes from.

 

[Cheekychook12]

I wouldn't count either out after one mishap. Sometimes these things take a bit of trial and error to figure out where the problem comes from.

True, I’m going to do a hatch in spring so I’ll do another test in the incubator, and then if the problem happens again I won’t breed from him
Very first hatch with a broody and from my birds so I guess I’m lucky I got one healthy chick when I only set 3 eggs
Wry neck and regular chick

 

[redinator]

True, I’m going to do a hatch in spring so I’ll do another test in the incubator, and then if the problem happens again I won’t breed from him
Very first hatch with a broody and from my birds so I guess I’m lucky I got one healthy chick when I only set 3 eggs
Wry neck and regular chick

After vitamins the wry neck chick improved and is healthy otherwise?

 

[Cheekychook12]

After vitamins the wry neck chick improved and is healthy otherwise?

He occasionally leans his head to the side and spins in circles sometimes, but he did have severe wry neck for a five days and then spontaneously got better one afternoon, I came home to him walking around having broke out of the sling
He’s fine other than that really

 

[redinator]

He occasionally leans his head to the side and spins in circles sometimes, but he did have severe wry neck for a five days and then spontaneously got better one afternoon, I came home to him walking around having broke out of the sling
He’s fine other than that really

I wonder if it'll improve with time and exercise once they're out of the brooder. That's a tough thing to go though, so I understand your concern with having more chicks with the issue. I also commend you for not giving up on the chick as some might.

 

[Cheekychook12]

I wonder if it'll improve with time and exercise once they're out of the brooder. That's a tough thing to go though, so I understand your concern with having more chicks with the issue. I also commend you for not giving up on the chick as some might.

I suspect it will, I’ll be letting them out soon they are fully feathered
Yeah it really was hard, I had to syringe feed him every 20mins for four days
I’m glad I did it though, just wish he was a she but oh well

 

[redinator]

I suspect it will, I’ll be letting them out soon they are fully feathered
Yeah it really was hard, I had to syringe feed him every 20mins for four days
I’m glad I did it though, just wish he was a she but oh well

How can you tell this early?