Crooked Bill - Genetic or brooding issue?

[ckvchestnut]

Hi Everyone, I wasn't sure where to post this question so I have posted it here. I have one drake with a badly crooked bill, it doesn't stop him from living a normal life but I want to know if this was caused by a genetic problem, too much inbreeding or just a brooding issue? This is my first year with muscovies and I got this guy as a day old like this. He is so friendly and my only white male, I am just not sure if I should cull him or risk using him for breeding next year. If it's an inbreeding thing, I definitely don't want to keep him as a breeder. Thanks for any info!

[rollyard]

Hi ckvchestnut

Some anatomical anomolies can result from less than optimal artificial incubation factors, & some are genetically based, the difficulty is in determining which in the case of your drake.  If it is genetic, then young bred by him may (or may not) also inherit a predisposition for this trait.

Unless your drake is a particularly good specimen, then the safest course may be not to use him as it is said that some genetic faults such as this are highly inheritable.  But even when hatched naturally under a broody, you will still get a percentage of physical anomolies when numbers are bred.

Regards

[Cathy]

I agree.  Where whites are typically fairly easy to find I personally would not use him as a breeder and either keep him as a pet if you're attached or sell him, or eat him.

[ckvchestnut]

Thanks very much for your responses! I agree too and will have to end up eating him or giving him away as I won't be separating birds, I would feel it easier for me with all my other livestock to just have the one breeding drake and some ducks.