Diary of a Crossbeak: Support for Special Needs Chickens and their Keepers

[mondotomhead]

Okay Mondotomhead
funny name for a cat.
here is the photo. Sounds like you have a very caring family. Sorry about the nice lady.

Thank you! Thank you! I'll get a pedipaws Friday.

I do watch him all the time because I have to breakup grapes in a way that he can grap and eat them. I just noticed that in the last couple of days he couldn't pick them up and saw how long his beak grew. It seemed like his beak just bolted!

Also, Tom is the cat in my avatar. I had two other cats called Mondo and Big Head and combined everyone's name together for a user name...........

 

[flamegal]

Hello!
I am new here (but not new to chickens!) so I thought I'd post something. I have 2 gorgeous 3.5 month old Silkie cross beaks, they are very active and sweet. I trim/file their beaks down on a regular basis with an emory board, they don't exactly like it but it seems to help. I use the deep rubber feeding dishes, they seem to work very well. They require a bit more care but are so worth it!! I will post pictures soon...

 

[khark74]

I am so thankful for this thread and the advise. Here is Hoot, she is 9 weeks old - I am not sure what is wrong, but she isn't able to close her mouth - I don't think it is crossed, but maybe the top beak is too curved? Can I carefully file the underside of her top beak? For now, she seems to be eating mash and is roughly as big as her sisters, but I am worried this situation will shift if I am not vigilant. Appreciate the help ~



hi, I thought I would post an update about Hoot since it has been about 2 weeks since I trimmed her beak. Every morning, when I open the coop door, I throw fresh grass (edging my garden 1 shovelful at a time) into the run, so the other chickens are occupied. Hoot runs back into the coop and I set down her mash. Sometimes other chickens will come in and nibble, but no one pushes her out of the way - everyone seems to "understand" this is what she needs. The system seems to be working for everyone.

She still keeps her mouth wide open, it almost seems like she can't close it, I can push it closed, but it opens right back up. how often can I trim her beak (she is 11 weeks tomorrow)? Any other ideas as to why her mouth hangs open?

 

[aldarita]

I am actually crying a bit after reading your article about Bird. I am so new in raising chickens (just started with 10 one day old chicks this past April) One of them had a crossed beak that kept on getting worse as the chick matured. I was advised to cull it because they said she would eventually not be able to feed herself. I was heart broken because she was such a pretty and friendly chick. Now I know I could have kept her and feed her myself. Well I guess being uninformed is not a good thing. Thank you for passing on your experience and for keeping Bird alive, she certainly deserves a long and happy life.

 

[Nursiedeer]

Chicken Little is almost 6 weeks old now. Seems to be doing well. WE finally got a better cage set up. It's a wire dog crate with the tray under the bottom. This was CL can stay dryer while moving about on it's tummy. the bottom was lined with 1/4 " hardware cloth, above the tray to facilitate this. CL seems to be getting around well in this set up. WE also made a nipple water-er from a
Soda bottle. His food is in an old plastic ash tray. Odd that I still had one of those around!
CL has a little tunnel to crawl into, to hide and CL seems to enjoy this. I still put a washcloth in the pen, just like in the old one for it to crawl under as it likes this too.
I wish I could figure out CL';s sex so I could stop saying "IT" and maybe give "it" a better name. LOl
I am happy to have found a new home for one of my Australorp Roo's too. I spoke a lot with the new owner to make sure of her intentions. They just want a roo to crow and complete their flock.
For now CL is living In the kitchen propped on two kitchen stools. My cocker is just was to curious to try much else yet. It is so nice to know I am not the only Chickie momma with a special bird! I really should post a picture.

 

[maggie326]

I too have been feeding my little girl a mash and the rest of the girls join in with her to eat some, but always let her finish eating by herself and let her get priority when it comes to eating.

 

[Nursiedeer]

My baby with the bad leg/feet having a drink.

 

[NewToFarming]

My baby with the bad leg/feet having a drink.

She or he is very cute! Can it get to the feed & water on it's own? Poor little thing but he sure has a good Momma!

 

[NewToFarming]

I too have been feeding my little girl a mash and the rest of the girls join in with her to eat some, but always let her finish eating by herself and let her get priority when it comes to eating.

Since I had started feeding my crossbeaks mash a long time ago, I have to make it for my entire flock. Everyone loves it and thinks it is the best treat in the whole, well second to mealworms & cheese. Looks like you might be doing the same!

 

[Nursiedeer]

She or he is very cute! Can it get to the feed & water on it's own? Poor little thing but he sure has a good Momma!

He/she can get to the water and food. it is just so much work, that I make sure I help a couple times a day to be sure it gets enough and he/she is always so thirsty when I do. So much smaller than its brooder mates and yet starting to get a tummy YAY! It's a pure bred Australorp but very tiny!