Wry Neck Question

The Kooky Kiwi

Crowing
Dec 23, 2017
760
2,205
286
New Zealand, Golden Bay
Hi Team

It is widely accepted that Wry Neck is a condition caused by a deficiency in Vitamin E and Selenium. There are also some that say there is a genetic component.

I'm interested in discussing that possible genetic tendency.

I purchased some hatching eggs last year - supposedly Black/Blue/Splash pen. Several of the chicks hatched white - and one of those had wry neck.

Fast-forward one year, I did a test breeding of those chicks, a rooster and a hen. 25% of their babies hatched white - confirming my suspicion that this stock has recessive white. Interestingly, two of the white babies from the test hatch developed wry neck.

I have never had any incidents of wry neck in my adult flock, and never in any of my other hatched babies (I've hatched something like 200 chicks this season). The ONLY chicks to develop wry neck were the whites.

Should I treat this as a simple coincidence or is there something about the recessive white trait that makes the chicks more prone??

Happy to hear thoughts and shared experiences!!
 
Hi Team

It is widely accepted that Wry Neck is a condition caused by a deficiency in Vitamin E and Selenium. There are also some that say there is a genetic component.

I'm interested in discussing that possible genetic tendency.

I purchased some hatching eggs last year - supposedly Black/Blue/Splash pen. Several of the chicks hatched white - and one of those had wry neck.

Fast-forward one year, I did a test breeding of those chicks, a rooster and a hen. 25% of their babies hatched white - confirming my suspicion that this stock has recessive white. Interestingly, two of the white babies from the test hatch developed wry neck.

I have never had any incidents of wry neck in my adult flock, and never in any of my other hatched babies (I've hatched something like 200 chicks this season). The ONLY chicks to develop wry neck were the whites.

Should I treat this as a simple coincidence or is there something about the recessive white trait that makes the chicks more prone??

Happy to hear thoughts and shared experiences!!
Ive read it can be a genetic disorder by some. I would still treat it to insure it doesnt get worse over time. It sounds very intresting, i myself have not personally had it been genetic, but im sure its possible. Im not to experinced with this, more so in treating wry neck then the pure cause of it.
 

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