1 week old chick with scissor beak

[emilyhlocke]

Hi there,

This is my first time raising chickens and we purchased 7 day old pullets of 7 different breeds. I'm concerned about my mottled Houdan's scissor beak as it seems fairly crossed for only being a week old and I know it gets worse as they age. So far she's able to eat and drinking normally, although messy, and she's pooping and growing fine. I'm just wondering if as she ages if it will become quite severe and if she has a chance as a healthy life.

Thanks!

[/IMG]

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Cute chick. I would get some Poultry Nutri-drench or Poultry Cell vitamins, and give 1 ml by mouth daily. If you can find another vitamin that contains trace mineral, you can use that instead. Rooster Booster Poultry Booster will work, but you may need to grind it finer and put it in a small amount of feed with water. Cross beak chicks are usually caused by a mineral deficiency in the parent stock, although some feel that it is genetic. They can survive as long as they can eat normally, and by beak trimming if needed, and using a high sided bowl to eat may help. Wetting the feed may also help them. Here is a good link to read:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/03/scissor-beak-aka-crossed-beak-what-it.html
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/44060/chick-with-cross-beak-pics
http://ontheurbanfarm.blogspot.com/2012/10/cross-beaksplit-beak-not-hopeless.html