Beaker update

[ChickenCanoe]

I have zero experience with crossed beaks so don't pay any attention to me. I would guess that it can survive but likely not thrive.
Mash is a good idea. Commercial farms that trim their hen's beaks use mash.

 

[NatJ]

Your title asks what you should do.
The "right" answer depends on your goals.

If you want to breed healthy chicks, then do not breed from this one, and consider euthanizing now or butchering later to be sure you do not breed from it.

If you want a beloved pet that will probably do fine with a little extra care, then definitely keep this chick as long as it continues to eat, drink, and act fine.

Personally, I would raise it up for a while and then butcher it. I like to eat chicken, and I prefer to only keep easy-care layers, so any bird that needs special care becomes a "meat" bird for me. But what is right for me may not be right for you.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

 

[FortCluck]

Sorry FC about your poor little baby. Is she an EE? ❤
If you're up to the task of caring for her I'd keep her. A little TLC does wonders. If she has trouble eating on her own later on you could cull her then. I don't see any harm in keeping her for now though. She's adorable. For keeping her eggs separate, if she's actually a she, maybe you could keep her and another hen in a separate pen? Idk. Good luck with her. Also, keeping her beak filed down can help them be able to eat easier. It's harder if their beak is normal length and crossed.

It’s a pullet... it’s an EE pullet from Ideal

 

[MGG]

It’s a pullet... it’s an EE pullet from Ideal

Aw. She's adorable. I hope she does ok. Fingers crossed for you and your baby. They might give you a refund of you tell them she's cross beaked. It won't be much obviously though, lol.

 

[FortCluck]

Your title asks what you should do.
The "right" answer depends on your goals.

If you want to breed healthy chicks, then do not breed from this one, and consider euthanizing now or butchering later to be sure you do not breed from it.

If you want a beloved pet that will probably do fine with a little extra care, then definitely keep this chick as long as it continues to eat, drink, and act fine.

Personally, I would raise it up for a while and then butcher it. I like to eat chicken, and I prefer to only keep easy-care layers, so any bird that needs special care becomes a "meat" bird for me. But what is right for me may not be right for you.

Think I’ll keep it as a layer for egg cartons only. No incubating only eating.

I know many people who want eggs from us lol

 

[FortCluck]

Aw. She's adorable. I hope she does ok. Fingers crossed for you and your baby. They might give you a refund of you tell them she's cross beaked. It won't be much obviously though, lol.

Yeah like $4 not even worth the phone call

 

[MGG]

Yeah like $4 not even worth the phone call

Lol! Yeah...
Meyer offered to refund me for my SS that died, but I said it was ok. It would be more hassle to refund it than it was worth. I know some want refunds though, so I just threw it out there. Lol.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I have had several crossbeak chicks born amongst my easter eggers through the years. My line of easter eggers ALSO came from ideal hatchery. Even tho none of the original chicks i purchased had the defect, the issue has arisen in their progeny almost every year since. So there is an apparent recessive gene thingy going on. Some cases have been very mild, & the chicks did just fine as they grew. They maintain their body weight, and their adult egg-laying rate is comparable to all the others. With other chicks, the crossbeak quickly became severe within a few weeks time, & those chicks failed to keep pace with the growth of their siblings. I feel certain the severe cross-beak chicks couldnt properly eat out of the typical chick feeders, & that may be why they didnt grow properly. (Since broody hens hatch all chicks, i often never notice the cross-beaks before age 3-4 weeks, sometimes even later). By looks of your photo, I suspect your chick's issue may quickly become too severe to eat out of a standard chick feeder, since it looks pretty young in photo, & the issue seems to grow worse during first few weeks of a chicks life. If convenient, u can give it feed in a flat shallow pan, with a raised lip to help cut down on feed waste, because the chick(s) WILL scratch in the feed. A flat broad surface will allow chick to "scoop" food into its beak to eat. U will soon know if it can ingest enough food to continue to grow properly. Ive never culled a cross-beak without giving it a chance to thrive. Oddly, the crossbeaks that survived have 100% been pullets. I put them with my flock of older egg-layers whose eggs i dont use to hatch chicks from. Even tho i have never intentionally hatched a cross-beak's eggs, every year usually get at least one easter egger crossbeak. One thing i found is that the crossbeaks of ALL ages are always Very Happy to see me put more food out. They are very friendly, and with their antics and body language let me know how much they appreciate me bringing food!

 

[FortCluck]

I have had several crossbeak chicks born amongst my easter eggers through the years. My line of easter eggers ALSO came from ideal hatchery. Even tho none of the original chicks i purchased had the defect, the issue has arisen in their progeny almost every year since. So there is an apparent recessive gene thingy going on. Some cases have been very mild, & the chicks did just fine as they grew. They maintain their body weight, and their adult egg-laying rate is comparable to all the others. With other chicks, the crossbeak quickly became severe within a few weeks time, & those chicks failed to keep pace with the growth of their siblings. I feel certain the severe cross-beak chicks couldnt properly eat out of the typical chick feeders, & that may be why they didnt grow properly. (Since broody hens hatch all chicks, i often never notice the cross-beaks before age 3-4 weeks, sometimes even later). By looks of your photo, I suspect your chick's issue may quickly become too severe to eat out of a standard chick feeder, since it looks pretty young in photo, & the issue seems to grow worse during first few weeks of a chicks life. If convenient, u can give it feed in a flat shallow pan, with a raised lip to help cut down on feed waste, because the chick(s) WILL scratch in the feed. A flat broad surface will allow chick to "scoop" food into its beak to eat. U will soon know if it can ingest enough food to continue to grow properly. Ive never culled a cross-beak without giving it a chance to thrive. Oddly, the crossbeaks that survived have 100% been pullets. I put them with my flock of older egg-layers whose eggs i dont use to hatch chicks from. Even tho i have never intentionally hatched a cross-beak's eggs, every year usually get at least one easter egger crossbeak. One thing i found is that the crossbeaks of ALL ages are always Very Happy to see me put more food out. They are very friendly, and with their antics and body language let me know how much they appreciate me bringing food!

I’m giving her mash and she loves it. She is the same weight and growth as everyone else. I assume she will make it!