Week old chick with scissor beak

[only1bgirl]

Any ideas how to correct this? Silkie Chick was feeding them wetted starter food , when I noticed this chicks bottom beak going to the side I found dried on food in the corner of its mouth. Not sure if it was the food or this is a defect.

 

[Outpost JWB]

So sorry your chick has that. I don't think there is anyway to correct it. The chicken chic has suggestions on how you can make provisions if you wish to keep the chick.

We had one last year and it quickly got worse and worse to where the poor thing would not sleep, but try to eat and drink all the time, but it kept falling out of it's beak. We had it isolated and elevated it's food and water bowls. It was very sad and the chick was getting thin quick. The wet food would stick to the inside of it's beak and it would cause trouble breathing. We tried but the chick seemed to be suffering. We ended up culling it.

Read up on it though as some chicks are able to successfully adapt and overcome. You just have to make provisions for it.

 

[Outpost JWB]

I should have wrote it in a journal, but I didn't. So, this is an estimate....I believe the chick was around a week old when we 1st noticed it. It lived a couple months before we had to cull it. I remember it was not old enough to fully determine if it was a pullet or cockrell. I was leaning towards pullet though. The scissor beak condition started slight and within the 2 months you could see the chicken's tongue all the time. The condition got bad quick. I kept thinking maybe it was done moving, but it got worse and worse really quick. The most immediate thing you need to do is elevate the food and drink. Because every time it drinks and eats, it will fall right back out as the chick cannot close it's mouth. Also watch that the flies do not get onto it's beak as they will lay eggs and then the maggots will eat your chick. Sorry, disgusting, but true. I wish you all the luck. Please keep us posted.

 

[Outpost JWB]

Thanks for the update. Glad she is hanging in there. It's hard. I know! I am interested to see if the overcorrecting ultimately helps. Good luck & hang in there!

 

[iwiw60]

Yesterday I held her with it over corrected and she hated it, obviously hurts. So today I let her rest and it looks worse than before, so now I'm going back to just holding it corrected which she tolerates and naps while I hold her. If anything I'm hoping that this at least prevents it from getting worse since she can eat and drink still. Really do not want to have to put her down without trying, hoping it's a she too because of this condition should not breed.

Awww, poor little thing...looking to the brighter side of things, and assuming she makes it to adulthood (yay!), you will probably need to provide her with feed at "beak height" so all she has to do is scoop feed in...I would stay away from pellet feed, stick with crumble. Same thing for her water, too. Happy thoughts headed your way today!!

 

[Outpost JWB]

Poor you

. Sorry about the cold. Hope it goes away quick. I know it is hard watching the chick struggle to thrive. That is why I did ultimately make the choice to cull ours.

I want you to know that you seem to have done everything you can, and then some for this chick. You are a good chick mommy!

 

[Outpost JWB]

Awww. She is a cutie. Glad she is hanging in there.

 

[Outpost JWB]

Just thinking, I wonder if you could tube feed her?
I totally know what you mean 100%! I have had to cull 3 or 4 chicks for different reasons and it is NEVER easy. No matter what the situation. My scissor beak also would not sleep. She was staying up all night trying to eat. She was much thinner than the others and ultimately just ended up in misery. Not something I can watch them go through. I always pray that I am doing the right thing and hope that no one judges me (and ultimately don't care when they do). I know that God has chose me to be a farmer, and sometimes farmers have to make tough decisions.
Good luck with your chickie. She has made it this far because of you.

 

[iwiw60]

We put her to rest today, she just couldn't eat and was getting frantic about it. I tried everything I could to help her out and nothing worked, the force feeding was traumatic to her too. Feel bad about having to put her to rest, gave her a bath yesterday and let her soak up the sun outside today before returning her to the maker.

So very sorry for your loss...you did everything you could for her....it's never easy...

 

[only1bgirl]

Chick eats and drinks OK and is same size as it's hatch mate.