Beak Deformity - Should we cull?

[RoosterGeek]

I've searched and found some threads with information on it. This is the first beak deformity I have come across. I was wondering if she should cull the affected bird. My wife says it seems to be eating and drinking okay.

For now, I have thrown her under a broody Freedom Ranger.

 

[lowry075]

I can't see the picture, so I don't know how bad it is, but if she can eat and doesn't seem to be suffering, I would let her live. The chicken on my picture has a cross beak and she is thriving.

 

[RoosterGeek]

Quote:
Sorry I fixed the image. It should be available now.

 

[stargirl]

cross beak. I've never experienced it, but if he's managing to eat and drink ok at the moment I wouldn't cull. Sometimes adding some water to their feed to make a wet mash helps them to scoop it up a little more easily.

 

[Nicole01]

That's pretty bad. It gets worse as they grow into adults. Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[ReikiStar]

Quote:
X2 on the getting worse as they grow. It's a skull deformity which manifests in the beak (as to what we can see of the deformity). So as the skull grows it could get worse. When the chick gets to the point of not being able to feed itself, it will be time to let it go. Some chickens live normal lives with cross beaks, but they usually start out less severe and so they don't end up all that badly crossed.

Keep the beaks trimmed so they don't become so long the chick can't get food in it's mouth. A nail file or dremmel-like dog nail trimmer tool works well -- just quickly and it heats up so be quick and short about the job if you go that way.

Best of luck with your choice. I'm really sorry you're having to go through this, it can be rough. Perfectly good chicken...messed up beak.

 

[RoosterGeek]

Thanks for the feedback folks.

One more question, do you think I should send the picture to Welp?

It's kind of an odd situation. We ordered 25 birds from them: 20 buckeyes and 5 Buff Orps. We got sent 8 BO and 18 buckeyes. 2 Buckeyes died and now this. They credited us for three bird though. The BOs are larger chicks and were much more vigorous to start with.


I got my hatchery names mixed up and have since corrected it to say Welp.

 

[quibs]

I would send it to them. It never hurts to give feedback, whether good or bad

 

[ReikiStar]

Quote:
ABSOLUTELY! Here's the problem with the cross beak deformity: Its genetic and both parents don't have to have cross beaks to produce deformed chicks. So the breeder needs to know they are producing chicks like this. Now here is the other side of that equation: What would Ideal do about it? They SHOULD cull all their breeding stock of that breed and start over. But will they?

If I had one wish it would be to wipe out the cross beak deformity (the other would be to make chickens predators...so they could eat coyotes, racoons, and bad neighbors dogs!). Please do contact the hatchery.

 

[silkie101]

Quote:
yes its true because they could either give you a refund or a new chick for the ones that were deformed or the ones that died