4 week old with beak deformity....can I do anything?

[Jessika]

This one has a weird side bite. Top beak goes one was....bottom of it goes the other way. I have been sick for a few days (they have been cleaned fed and watered) but needless to say Sat when I got sick all were fine (batch of 25 but this one is the only one of that type...such a pretty chick..) and then by today while inspecting them I found this......

what the heck is it...and can I do anything.

Last resort...should I cull or does it have any chance for a normal life?

 

[bluie]

Looks like crossbeak. From what I learned on BYC, its a pretty common genetic mutation. I just noticed that my two month old silkie rooster has crossbeak to about the same degree as yours. I have decided to not let him breed, and to hand feed him if necessary for the duration of his natural life. He looks robust right now. It can be much much more severe than yours, and I think its possible that it will worsen. I just researched this two days ago. Do a BYC search on "twisted beak" and I think there is a really long thread about it.

 

[speckledhen]

It's crossbeak. It's genetic in nature. There was a cream called Penetran (sp?) that someone mentioned that is supposed to help the muscles work right or something (sorry cant remember how it works), however, I have no idea where to get it or if it will help. I cull them. I've heard too many stories of them living awhile but later, basically starving to death. They need deep dishes of feed to be able to scoop the food since they cant peck to eat. And the bottom beak can sometimes be trimmed, but many times, it does no good.