11 new chicks arrived yesterday

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Is it just me, but what is wrong with their beaks?

 

[Painted Calls]

Is it just me, but what is wrong with their beaks?

They all look clipped which is really strange.

That's all I could focus on.

 

[Iluveggers]

Your first is your splash. The eyeliner chipmunk looks like your Welsummer.

The blues/lavenders will be harder to distinguish until they feather in a bit more.

Mt Healthy does mark breeds/chicks for a 25cent per bird fee.

 

[STACEYH]

They all look clipped which is really strange.

That's all I could focus on.

They sure do. I have never seen that.

 

[Tonyroo]

Bizarre and why?

 

[Iluveggers]

I haven’t seen it either. Two sets of friends used Mt Healthy & their chicks had regular beaks. Must be a choice for debeaking that OP made?

 

[Painted Calls]

I haven’t seen it either. Two sets of friends used Mt Healthy & their chicks had regular beaks. Must be a choice for debeaking that OP made?

That's the only thing I can think of. I don't understand why anyone would make that choice though.

 

[PartiPoodles]

They all look clipped which is really strange.

That's all I could focus on.

That's the only thing I can think of. I don't understand why anyone would make that choice though.

Yes, beak trimming was an optional service that Mt. Healthy offered along with a Merck’s vaccine. Supposedly it helps to prevent pecking injuries and resulting chick cannibalism during shipping and after? FAQ section on Mt. Healthy website states “Removing the upper point of the beak to prevent cannibalism.” The vaccine and beak trim together was $3 per bird.

 

[Painted Calls]

Yes, beak trimming was an optional service that Mt. Healthy offered along with a vaccine. Supposedly it helps to prevent pecking injuries and resulting chick cannibalism during shipping and after, if I’m remembering correctly? I’ll try to find it and post the link or text from it.

As long as you don't cram them together in a tiny coop, they will not cannibalize each other.

 

[PartiPoodles]

As long as you don't cram them together in a tiny coop, they will not cannibalize each other.

Thanks! Good to know for next time. Being a newbie I wanted to take any optional precaution I could and figured it probably couldn’t hurt to have it done.