Beakless but not hopeless, advice please...

[wyrme]

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We had an accident about a week ago, hen lost her top beak completely, bottom beak is hanging, remains look quite splintered. Tongue seems unaffected. She hasn't shown any changes to behaviour, free range foraging, eating crumb, and still laying. I'm uncertain if she's managing layers pellets. Now that I see she can survive I am tempted to remove the hanging beak with snips or dog nail clippers but thought I'd run it past you all to see if anyone has any experience or additional suggestions. I had wondered about making a prosthetic, but if shes eating and drinking, and able to preen with her splintered stump, would I be just causing her pain and discomfort for vanity? She's a tough girl, her breast was shredded and skin flayed last year by a cat but she pulled through well.

Thanks

 

[MelissaRose]

So sorry about your hen, I don't know what you should do but I hope she gets better!

 

[Tiana's chickens]

Wow I'm surprised she can still peck! Remove it if you'd like, that will prevent it from getting caught and tearing on anything, just make certain she doesn't use the hanging beck to eat somehow

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If that part is just hanging, then I would snip it off. Likely it will eventually fall of on it's own.
I would get a baseline weight on her just to make sure she isn't losing weight. Chickens with injury will still try to act as normal as they can. It's possible she is acting like she is eating, but is not getting a lot. You can also check her crop when she goes to roost at night to see if it's full.
Chickens can adapt very well with having their beak torn off. Miss Fluffy Bum's last update was in 2017, but she was thriving. You may find this both informational and inspiring https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/plese-help-chickens-beak-got-bit-off.848424/

 

[Eggcessive]

The thread that Wyorp Rock posted about Fluffy Bum is a great success story. I initially thought the hen should be euthanized, but the owner worked so hard and never gave up, learning to tube feed and teaching her to eat on her own again. She fed her cooked scrambled eggs every day, and Fluffy Bum is still hanging in there a couple of years later, last we heard.

 

[lazy gardener]

Unless you are prepared to tube feed her daily, or twice/day (what ever the vet recommendation would be) I would extend a kindness to her and give her a merciful culling. Slowly starving to death is a hard way to go. Not to mention, her tongue will dry out, and she may be prone to respiratory issues, and even fly strike since it is an open moist area. She may be going through the motions, but I very much doubt that she is consuming enough food to maintain her health.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a good thread on tube feeding:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-guide-pictures-under-construction.1064392/

 

[wyrme]

So sorry about your hen, I don't know what you should do but I hope she gets better!

Thanks

Wow I'm surprised she can still peck! Remove it if you'd like, that will prevent it from getting caught and tearing on anything, just make certain she doesn't use the hanging beck to eat somehow

Thanks, I cant see it being used and am a bit worried that it could get caught and tear making things worse. I think it needs to come off.

 

[wyrme]

Unless you are prepared to tube feed her daily, or twice/day (what ever the vet recommendation would be) I would extend a kindness to her and give her a merciful culling. Slowly starving to death is a hard way to go. Not to mention, her tongue will dry out, and she may be prone to respiratory issues, and even fly strike since it is an open moist area. She may be going through the motions, but I very much doubt that she is consuming enough food to maintain her health.

Thanks, I am keeping an eye on her weight and her energy levels seem unaffected, so far all seems ok, but I take your point, it may be too early to be noticeable, I will watch closely, I have no problem culling if she has no realistic prospect of managing. I hadn't considered impact on tongue.

 

[wyrme]

Here is a good thread on tube feeding:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-guide-pictures-under-construction.1064392/

Thanks for this, I wouldn't mind tube feeding as an interim while she recovers but not for an ongoing basis, but I appreciate the thought and the link.