Is it OK to breed a Speckled Sussex that has some siblings with possible eye problems?

[NinjaGamer2022]

We bought Speckled Sussex hatching eggs earlier this year. We got a good hatch rate and ended up with 4 roos and 3 hens. I noticed that 2 out of the 3 hens (not roos) might have eye site issues. But one looks perfectly fine and by my knowledge the roos as well. I can't know for sure if they were born like this or got hurt without me knowing (it's not very obvious) but hens seem to have possibly poor eye site. If I got new Speckled Sussex chicks from another breeder in the future would it be OK to breed the healthy looking ones? Thx,

 

[3KillerBs]

Do the ones you have carry some specific traits that are so desirable that you consider it worth the risk of perpetuating a problem that may be carried in that line?

Or are you just trying to get a jump on raising your own chicks rather than waiting to get chicks from a potentially superior line and breed those?

 

[NinjaGamer2022]

Do the ones you have carry some specific traits that are so desirable that you consider it worth the risk of perpetuating a problem that may be carried in that line?

Or are you just trying to get a jump on raising your own chicks rather than waiting to get chicks from a potentially superior line and breed those?

I was hoping to be able to use the healthy ones because I love them as pets and hope not to have to buy all new breeders because of space and other reasons. These aren't show quality birds by my knowledge, and their hatching eggs and/or chicks would be sold as pet quality if I ever breed them.

 

[3KillerBs]

I was hoping to be able to use the healthy ones because I love them as pets and hope not to have to buy all new breeders because of space and other reasons. These aren't show quality birds by my knowledge, and their hatching eggs and/or chicks would be sold as pet quality if I ever breed them.

I would avoid possibly perpetuating a problem.

If you know that the birds with the issues are full-siblings and/or otherwise closely related and you breed these closely-related birds they are likely to show their potentially-problematic recessive genes -- which may be showing in their close relatives already.

Are you willing to cull anhy affected birds that you hatch to prevent them from passing on their defects?

I am on the selling end rather than the buying end, but I made a point of culling rather than selling a crossbeak and a deformed cockerel because if I were to ever buy birds, breed them, and discover a health problem in them that the seller knew that line carried I'd be quite upset.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

You could breed them, but only if you’re prepared to deal with any that hatch with issues. Also, I would not sell any of your chickens’ offspring.

 

[Dean126]

I personally wouldn't breed them. If you keep them you will have to cull some or live with having lame chickens. For you to breed and sell is ethically wrong... Please don't.

 

[NinjaGamer2022]

I'm sorry I think I asked the question incorrectly. None of my Speckled Sussex that I have now is lame, out of 7 (4 roos and 3 hens) 2 hens of the show possible eye site problems. If I breed the healthy ones to a good quality unrelated stock would it be a bad idea to sell the offspring as pet quality birds? The only possible problem that I know about in a few is possibly eye site issues, I won't breed those ones but possibly their healthy siblings to a good unrelated stock. Thank you for you help and patience.

 

[Tonyroo]

You definitely need to monitor your presumed healthy birds to adulthood. To know for sure they have zero issues. Then it would be safe to cross them with unrelated birds.

 

[NinjaGamer2022]

You definitely need to monitor your presumed healthy birds to adulthood. To know for sure they have zero issues. Then it would be safe to cross them with unrelated birds.

Thank you for this info @Tonyroo . I will do this before breeding them. Hope you have a good night.

 

[Dean126]

I'm sorry I think I asked the question incorrectly. None of my Speckled Sussex that I have now is lame, out of 7 (4 roos and 3 hens) 2 hens of the show possible eye site problems. If I breed the healthy ones to a good quality unrelated stock would it be a bad idea to sell the offspring as pet quality birds? The only possible problem that I know about in a few is possibly eye site issues, I won't breed those ones but possibly their healthy siblings to a good unrelated stock. Thank you for you help and patience.

I would do 1 generation of the healthy birds to see how it goes first. If they all grow to adulthoid with no problems then go for it. But I would cull all birds with genetic defects (including the ones you have now) to avoid passing these traits for multiple generations