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

[tinkerfairy]

I was accepted and posted a pic of the chick the day I got it. I'll try to get better pics tomorrow been more focused on feeding the little one. We got unmediated because we have ducklings too, the bag said its supposed to be for chicks, ducklings and game fowl

 

[artsyrobin]

i go with medicated for chicks, after losing a hatch to cocci, also if you have them separate, the ducklings can get get a bit messy- a milk bottle with a hold cut in it is a good way for duck to have water to play in without the mess

 

[tinkerfairy]

Oh I keep them separate from each other I just thought maybe it'd be a good idea and get something they could share but I could buy it a small bag of medicated feed

 

[Chickensaur]

Has anyone ever tried just cutting the top beak clean off and cauterizing it?
Last year I had a super sweet crossbeak that I had to put down, and this year one of my week-old bantams shows the first signs.
I was going to return and exchange it, but I was thinking about poor Glitch and all her problems traced back to that top beak. It got in the way when she tried to shovel food and seemed to be the main thing pushing the bottom beak out of alignment.
Factory farms cut their birds' top beaks yet those chickens still feed themselves without requiring feeding tubes.

If no one has tried it, then does anyone at least have advise for such a procedure? I'll wait a while and see how this chick develops for now, but I really feel removing most of that top beak would have saved last year's charity case...

 

[artsyrobin]

i would never consider doing that, just me, but i think since it is an extension of the the skull, it would be unnecessarily traumatic and risky, rather i choose to work with the birds limitations i have 3 crossbeaks

 

[Chickensaur]

Mine couldn't eat on her own at all, not with wet mash or a giant bowl all to herself. I couldn't keep up with feeding her manually with my work schedule and being out of town for days.

No doubt it's a last resort, but chickens are really though and adaptable. I'd be extremely interested to see if anyone else had tried it.

 

[artsyrobin]

maybe talk to a vet, i know some people mentioned a vet can realign the beak surgically, i can't remember who- it was our facebook crossbeak group

 

[tinkerfairy]

I couldn't possibly put my chick through that traumatic experience. I'm hoping as it gets older it can eat on its own but for now I feed it myself. I've heard that about the top beak being removed but think about it they don't live that long they're slaughtered when they reach the desired size, so they don't live out a full life. I've debated on trimming but I couldn't permanently disfigure my chick, to me its not ugly its beautiful and special. This chick however long it lives will be in a home receiving love and care daily. Of I'm lucky enough to watch this chick grow up I've considered making it a house pet and letting it have time outside each day, I don't know what breed I have so I'm not sure how large beauty will be. Beauty has survived 3 days in my home I'm thankful everyday and I hope we will have a long time together

 

[McCarthyGirls15]

This is our sweet baby Meg. She is about 4 weeks old now. She started out with a very noticeable cross beak but her bottom beak has stopped growing and her top is overgrown. Now she has a lump on her neck. Culling would be a last option, I'm willing to put some work into this baby. Any thoughts, suggestions?

 

[artsyrobin]

This is our sweet baby Meg. She is about 4 weeks old now. She started out with a very noticeable cross beak but her bottom beak has stopped growing and her top is overgrown. Now she has a lump on her neck. Culling would be a last option, I'm willing to put some work into this baby. Any thoughts, suggestions?

first welcome to the wonderful loving crossbeak world- as long as she can eat, i'dd give her a chance- i use dampened feed for a few of my crossbeaks, i'd file the top just a bit, so she can eat better- how is her weight?