Beak clipping

[Poultrycorner]

A question for all of you beak clipping chicken loving poultry people... Tried something new by purchasing 8 pullets to add to my flock. They are 20 weeks old and have had their beaks clipped. At present they are in my tractor coop. Do I run a risk of having them tormented by adding them to my coop of 'unclipped' birds? Should I clip the older birds before integrating them? Do pet nail clippers suffice in doing this? I'm a man of many questions --thanks for your thoughts on this!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I assume you mean they have been debeaked, which is a pretty touchy and unpopular subject here on BYC. It may hinder them in some ways, such as preening themselves, foraging if you plan to free range them and eating from a normal feeder, but I wouldn't think the other birds would pick on them for it. And I would not advise doing it to your other, older birds. Its typically done when they're still chicks and is a practice favored by big time commercial farms that keep their poultry packed tightly in cages or poultry houses (to deter them from pecking at their eggs and each other because of boredom and lack of space). You can sort of compare it to declawing a cat.

And, if you were to choose to do it yourself, a pair of nail clippers will not be sufficient in getting the job done.

If you'd like to know how its done, get on Youtube and watch a couple of videos. Its pretty barbaric, in my opinion.

Good luck with them!

 

[roostersandhens]

Beak-clipping is extremely cruel! It is like cutting off a limb, beaks are nerve-filled! They are not like nails! So don't cut beaks!

 

[Poultrycorner]

Thank you for your thoughts on this. It's the first time since raising chickens I've encountered birds with clipped beaks and I appreciate your input. We've purchased chicks many times and hatched from eggs several times as well. This our first go with pullets.

 

[happyhens1972]

Debeaking (a monstrous practice in my opinion) is done on a juvenile, unhardened beak with a guillotine style heated blade which slices and cauterizes at the same time. If you attempted it with nail clippers or pretty any other home cutting tool, you would cause excruciating pain and severe bleeding.

Your de-beaked chickens are still capable of sticking up for themselves so don't fret, just do a slow, through-the-fence introduction first, then let them sort themselves out. It is normal to have a few skirmishes, they need to find their pecking order and in my experience, de-beaked birds (rescued some ex batts) are perfectly able to hold their own xx

 

[donrae]

Boy, you can tell you really touched a nerve here, huh?

We've had quite a few folks over the years wind up with debeaked pullets. They integrate into the flock just as well as non-debeaked birds and seem to live just as well.

 

[Poultrycorner]

My first forum question and yes, I seem to have hit a nerve. But I recognize a lot of care and consideration in the passion of these responses --which is how I wish to continue with my flock of happy birds. So I'm grateful for all responses. Thanks to all and I look forward to reading/sharing more about our feathered friends.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I wouldn't say you've hit a nerve, just that there are a lot of folks who are very passionate about this subject

We're always glad to see a BYC member rescue these birds and give them a good forever home!

And, you don't know if you don't ask!

 

[happyhens1972]

My first forum question and yes, I seem to have hit a nerve. But I recognize a lot of care and consideration in the passion of these responses --which is how I wish to continue with my flock of happy birds. So I'm grateful for all responses. Thanks to all and I look forward to reading/sharing more about our feathered friends

I so hope you don't read our responses as anger at you in any way, just anger at a brutal practice x Welcome to BYC x

 

[deanmarz]

will their beak grow back?