Beak issues

[Opiumbrella]

Man I'm just on edge. Had zero issues for 12 years and in the last two weeks I've had an elderly hen break a leg, and now my big beautiful boy his has a chipped beak.
It is the very tip of the top beak that chipped off, the inner part is intact and unharmed.
I'm unsure what to do if anything, or if this is a thing that happens sometimes and will heal on it's own.
He seems to be pecking and eating and digging away in the dirt and grass with his beak, and preening himself without any issues or signs he even notices it has happened.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I'm so glad I've found this place. You are all life savers.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I'm so sorry. If you could take a clear picture of his beak and post it on this thread, that will be much more helpful in folks offering their thoughts

Seems like the saying "when it rains, it pours" is appropriate. I'm so sorry. Hopefully clear skies and sunny days will be in your future very soon

 

[Shezadandy]

Beak issues repair very quickly. If there is a sharp area anywhere on his beak that could get snagged and cause further damage, I would trim that part back so it's smooth and won't catch (think like when your nail splits a little and snags on every last thing). Other than that- if he's eating and drinking and moving around ... he's doing fine! When it's a painful one, they will become quite still and be very reluctant to eat or drink. The main thing is keeping it from getting worse.

 

[Opiumbrella]

Thank you. I just came to reply to this and saw my post with the pic I thought I posted days ago was in posted still lol. Oops.
He is fine. You could see the red inside of the beak when it first broke, but even just days later you can't anymore. It is smooth and he seems to be in no pain at all. He pecks at his toys and hanging treats and eats fine. Thank you.
I'm not sure how I made it twelve years with my flock with no issues, and have had SO many issues this month. A broken leg, a broken beak, and now a hen with bumble feet. I'm not sure why it is all happening at once but I guess that how it goes.
I just finished soaking, unplugging, and wrapping my hens feet a few min ago, and she is in isolation for the night. I was terrified to let her with everyone else as I had my still sort of limping Benny penny out with the flock for the fist time today running around and she was attacked by the rooster and his main hen. So know I have to figure out how to get her back into the group, and hope that bumblefoot heals quick enough that they don't start messing with her too.

 

[Shezadandy]

Thank you. I just came to reply to this and saw my post with the pic I thought I posted days ago was in posted still lol. Oops.
He is fine. You could see the red inside of the beak when it first broke, but even just days later you can't anymore. It is smooth and he seems to be in no pain at all. He pecks at his toys and hanging treats and eats fine. Thank you.
I'm not sure how I made it twelve years with my flock with no issues, and have had SO many issues this month. A broken leg, a broken beak, and now a hen with bumble feet. I'm not sure why it is all happening at once but I guess that how it goes.
I just finished soaking, unplugging, and wrapping my hens feet a few min ago, and she is in isolation for the night. I was terrified to let her with everyone else as I had my still sort of limping Benny penny out with the flock for the fist time today running around and she was attacked by the rooster and his main hen. So know I have to figure out how to get her back into the group, and hope that bumblefoot heals quick enough that they don't start messing with her too.

I'm glad the one problem was solved with relative ease, when it rains it pours. As for the bumblefoot, you may want to check your roosts for any rough spots, ditto with your floors in the area they land- if it's causing abrasions on the foot, the opportunistic bacteria that cause bumblefoot creep in. Broken legs are another problem altogether, but it sounds like she's back up on her feet. Can she be paired with your bumblefoot hen for a while somewhere the flock can see but not touch either of them while they heal? Then maybe try integrating them both back at the same time so it's not just one going back. (apologies if it's the same hen that both broke a leg and has bumblefoot and I'm misinterpreting).

Chickens sometimes will go after the weakest link. They don't want an obviously injured flock mate (i.e. a limping hen) bringing unwanted predator attention to the flock, much the same reason they can turn on one that has been injured and is bleeding. The other possibility is your older hen was much higher in the pecking order before she was injured and they are now opportunistically moving her down the list for their own gain. Chickens can be jerks.

I've got a sub-group of 3 hens. One is a leghorn who will fight with every last hen in my flock until she's exhausted - finally I had one of her hatch mates she was fine with live in a separate area, a pen off my main run. Now, when I have injuries or illnesses in other birds, I can add them into her pen, but only if they are submissive to her. When my cochin broke her leg, she turned into the 3rd resident hen over there because while she can get around, she isn't fast enough to get away from roosters or bullies, and she doesn't need to be hassled by either. They all get along, and still accept temporary guests - as long as they're submissive, that is.

 

[Opiumbrella]

I'm glad the one problem was solved with relative ease, when it rains it pours. As for the bumblefoot, you may want to check your roosts for any rough spots, ditto with your floors in the area they land- if it's causing abrasions on the foot, the opportunistic bacteria that cause bumblefoot creep in. Broken legs are another problem altogether, but it sounds like she's back up on her feet. Can she be paired with your bumblefoot hen for a while somewhere the flock can see but not touch either of them while they heal? Then maybe try integrating them both back at the same time so it's not just one going back. (apologies if it's the same hen that both broke a leg and has bumblefoot and I'm misinterpreting).

Chickens sometimes will go after the weakest link. They don't want an obviously injured flock mate (i.e. a limping hen) bringing unwanted predator attention to the flock, much the same reason they can turn on one that has been injured and is bleeding. The other possibility is your older hen was much higher in the pecking order before she was injured and they are now opportunistically moving her down the list for their own gain. Chickens can be jerks.

I've got a sub-group of 3 hens. One is a leghorn who will fight with every last hen in my flock until she's exhausted - finally I had one of her hatch mates she was fine with live in a separate area, a pen off my main run. Now, when I have injuries or illnesses in other birds, I can add them into her pen, but only if they are submissive to her. When my cochin broke her leg, she turned into the 3rd resident hen over there because while she can get around, she isn't fast enough to get away from roosters or bullies, and she doesn't need to be hassled by either. They all get along, and still accept temporary guests - as long as they're submissive, that is.

This bird has a will to live. Let me tell you. One butt kicked and te next day on her supervised outing asserted dominance over every hen that came near her and even the rooster. And now nobody is messing with her.
Bumblefoot is soon much better. She is a large barnafelder hen and I sanded her roost down and made ramp in case she is hurting herself jumping down. And I removed all the roosts and nesting boxes and pressure washed them and sanitized them just to be safe.
But the next day after removing the bumble plugs in her feet she wasn't limping, in fact she was stomping around mad she was in a cage. Changed the dressings today and they are healing nicely. The redness and heat and most if the swelling is gone.
I'm SO greatful for what I've learned here.
And as for bumble she is having supervised run around time prior to her bandage changes and nobody is messing with her at all. She is the largest hen and I've never seen anyone mess with her ever.

 

[Shezadandy]

This bird has a will to live. Let me tell you. One butt kicked and te next day on her supervised outing asserted dominance over every hen that came near her and even the rooster. And now nobody is messing with her.
Bumblefoot is soon much better. She is a large barnafelder hen and I sanded her roost down and made ramp in case she is hurting herself jumping down. And I removed all the roosts and nesting boxes and pressure washed them and sanitized them just to be safe.
But the next day after removing the bumble plugs in her feet she wasn't limping, in fact she was stomping around mad she was in a cage. Changed the dressings today and they are healing nicely. The redness and heat and most if the swelling is gone.
I'm SO greatful for what I've learned here.
And as for bumble she is having supervised run around time prior to her bandage changes and nobody is messing with her at all. She is the largest hen and I've never seen anyone mess with her ever.

Hooray!!! I love it when treatments and reintegrations work out well! Hopefully once this round of bumblefoot heals it will be a while before you have any more issues!