10 day old chick with cross beak - how severe is this and what do i do?

[macyrose92]

Found one of my chick's with a broody mum at 10 days has a crossed beak. She has been growing slower than the others and on watching the beak it moves etc but the whole mouth appears a bit deformed so the two beaks wouldn't match up anyway. I'm not sure how severe this is and what to expect. Any advice?

 

[Kiraeh]

Crossed beaks usually get worse until the chick is about three months old and mostly done growing, at which point they're stable. Since it's already this bad, it might be quite severe by that point.
However, many people have happy and long lived crossbeaks, it just takes a bit of extra care.
Your little one will likely always be a bit runty. You can help them out a few ways- deep feeders and wetted mash are both sometimes easier for crossbeaks. Some amount of time alone to eat without competition every day. And gently filing the outside edges of the beak regularly will also help and keep it from over growing and curling. Just be vary careful doing it, its better to take too little and come back another day that too much as the beak is very sensitive and full of nerves.

Do not breed this chicken, crossbeaks are usually genetic in cause.

 

[macyrose92]

Crossed beaks usually get worse until the chick is about three months old and mostly done growing, at which point they're stable. Since it's already this bad, it might be quite severe by that point.
However, many people have happy and long lived crossbeaks, it just takes a bit of extra care.
Your little one will likely always be a bit runty. You can help them out a few ways- deep feeders and wetted mash are both sometimes easier for crossbeaks. Some amount of time alone to eat without competition every day. And gently filing the outside edges of the beak regularly will also help and keep it from over growing and curling. Just be vary careful doing it, its better to take too little and come back another day that too much as the beak is very sensitive and full of nerves.

Do not breed this chicken, crossbeaks are usually genetic in cause.

Thank you, I was worried it was quite severe. She is eating and drinking fine and I checked weight this morning and she is growing fine.

I guess we can only try!

 

[Axi]

You can also get brackets for human braces, attach them to the top and bottom of one side, and on the same side, of the beak (put the brackets on the opposite side from where the beak forms to. So if the beak that has the deformity is pointing left, apply the bracket to the right and vise versa). apply them with nontoxic, strong hold, but easy enough to get off glue, finally attach a small rubber band that is only just strong enough to pull the beak into place.

Make sure to take off the rubber band when the chick eats and keep this on for at least five minutes, but it won't hurt it for the brackets to stay on for longer. This also most likely won't be a complete cure, but it will, if done young enough, most likely somewhat correct the beak.

 

[cmom]

How is your cross beak chick doing. I had one and she lived until she was three years old and would have lived longer except for my stupidity letting her out then getting distracted and a fox got her. She couldn't eat pellets but did fine with crumbles. She was the best bird I ever had and probably ever will have. I lost her three years ago and still miss my sweet Gladys. Good luck...