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Background 

Seventy-two embryos found in abandoned unhatched eggs collected in 2001 - 2005 in Alberta, Canada were extracted from the eggs and examined for visible physical abnormalities.  Sixteen chicks that died within a week of hatching were also examined.

Fourty-eight embryos and 16 chicks were suitable for physical examination and tissue processing, while 24 embryos were too small and decomposed to be useful.  These 24 were used for genetic analysis only.


Results

Of the 48 embryos, 25 were abnormal (possessing one or more of the abnormalities mentioned below), 17 were normal, and 6 could not be made into slides due to an advanced state of decomposition.  Three of the chicks were normal, while 13 could not be made into slides because they were either too decomposed or too large to be properly processed.


Problems

• Bilateral or Unilateral Anophthalmia = no eyes 

• Bilateral Microphthalmia = smaller than normal eyes

• Dwarfism

• Micrognathia = deformed beaks

• Shortened Beaks

• Malformed Cranial Cartilage

• Deformed Nasal Septa


Causes

Three potential causes (heavy metals, pollutants, and vitamin/mineral excesses/deficiencies) have been ruled out using a variety of test leaving genetics as the only potential cause

Contact Me ~ All Pictures are Copyrighted to Dr. Krissy Bird ~ August 31, 2011