Any crossbeak success stories? (see picture)

[IdahoMermaid]

So this is "Sapphire", and she is almost 8 weeks old. I have not had to do anything special to feed or water her. She is the same size as her sisters and doesn't seem to have any troubles. Hoping to hear maybe she will live a long and healthy life?!

 

[21hens-incharge]

That looks like a pretty bad case of crossbeak.

I have not had to deal with such a case. I have read a few things that may end up helping you care for her.
I read that as they grow it becomes worse. Wet feed may be needed as picking up food will be difficult if not impossible. The beak may require trimming as the natural wear it would get cannot happen.
I would get her on a weighing schedule so weight issues can be caught early on.

I do hope for a long and healthy life for your lil gal.

 

[artsyrobin]

that isn't too severe - i have 5 with varying crossbeaks, deep dishes of feed as she gets older, the crossing should stop at about 6 months. Monitor her weight, and you will need to help her preen. I do run a facebook crossbeak group if you are interested.

 

[Mountainmamma]

Hi, We had 2 girls that had the cross beaks, they lived several years and their deaths were not due to the cross beak. They had a harder time getting their food , especially one of them because her beak got worse over time. When we gave the others corn for a treat, we let her eat out of the bucket. She would climb right in it and stay as long as she wanted or until our backs couldn't stay bent over to hold the bucket. Somehow they managed to keep up with the others.
I was wondering, what breed is she? I wish you the best of luck and hope that yours does as well as ours did.

 

[IdahoMermaid]

I believe she is a red blue laced wyandotte. She is still doing well although her beak is significantly more crossed now, her little beak won't even get close the closing. She seems healthy enough, and I keep the food dishes full to make sure she can eat however I wonder if the waterers are deep enough for her! (Obvious they are now or she wouldn't still be here I suppose!)

 

[artsyrobin]

I have 5, ginger is my oldest at 4, head of her little flock of cochins, she is an EE, this is a comparison of beak- first at 4 months, then at 8 months, i trim when it interferes with her eating- about once a month, i got her at 4 months-





this is a recent pic-



pm me if you need any help

 

[IdahoMermaid]

Wow, so Sapphire will definitely get worse- does Ginger need a special waterer?

 

[artsyrobin]

no, none of mine have special waterers, but they are deep - so with crossbeaks, deep bowls and waterers, i have heard some people use nipple waters, i never have- ginger likes both crumble and wet food, with crossbeaks different textures lol- don't get wet food too soupy though, i lost one that aspirated the watery food, so a consitency of about cookie dough seems to work best, monitor the weight, if they start getting thin add oatmeal, cornmeal, baby rice cereal to the feed helps-

 

[TishsChicks]

I have a crossbeak too. We call her Beaker. She is almost 2 months old. She is not developing as well as the other chics her age but she is able to eat her mash pretty well and seems to be able to drink her water. She is about half the size of the rest of them.

 

[artsyrobin]

Beautiful baby, deep dishes, sometimes wet mash, add some cornmeal and mashed potatoes for extra calories