Most use a dremel tool since it cauterizes the quick if you go to far. And yes it has to be done regularly. They also may need to be fed wet mash in a deep dish while separated from the rest of the flock. Do a serch, lots of people have threads on coping with crossbeak.
That is cross beak aka scissor beak. It is a deformaty of the skull. Regular trimming of the beak can help some birds survive with it, but some just can't be saved.
Any one else breeding EE's? I would love for someone to save me a step in my breeding program. NPIP prefered, and would be looking for sex linked gold roosters.
Especially since you never know what might crop up in a breeding progect of unrelated lines. But I was disapointed by the prevalence of crossbeak in hatchery EE.
When you clip nails have Quick Stop or another styptic powder on hand. It stops the bleading if you nick the quick (The part of the nail that is still alive.) I used to have silkie hens and they never needed triming, but we had very rocky soil.
I'm in Olympia, but my F1's arn't laying yet. I'll use this fall's matings to comfirm the egg color genetics of my roosters. My goal is a production EE. Moderatly fast maturing, good foraging and hawk responce, a quick molt and 6 large mint green to blue eggs per week in the pullet year. I'm...
I culled her today. I know many will not agree with my choice but she could't eat anything on her own. the corner of her mouth nearly touched her eye socket. She was suffering and thin. I had trimed her beak it didn't help. It was my responsibility to protect her from suffering and that is...
Moving her lower beak over caused her to shriek in pain. So I didn't try the epoxy. I've taken a wait and see approch but now I think it's time to put her down. Sadly she can no longer feed herself. I have ben hand feeding her worms twice a day but she is not thriving.
Chicken beaks keep growing. Normaly they wear down when the chicken pecks and digs for food. Crossbeak chickens don't wear it down evenly so they need a beak manicure every now and then.
I have a ee pullet chick with a cross beak. So far it is mild. The problem is I'm raising 219 chicks right now. ( I'm starting a pastured egg farm) I want to give her away to someone who has fewer chicks and can make sure she gets enough to eat. She hatched May 22nd is vaccinated for...