Beakless but not hopeless, advice please...

[wyrme]

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.

Thanks I'll look for that thread, sounds a tougher rehab than I am facing...

 

[wyrme]

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/

Thanks, so her normal behaviour could be a front, I hadn't considered that. Her crop is smaller than the others but always has been, she has always been a light bird bottom of the pecking order.

 

[wyrme]

Thanks everyone for your input, really appreciated. Apologies as replies have been made as I came across posts and not in chronological order, and I may have reconsidered a few things along the way.

Things I have learned: Her normal behaviour may be a front, apparent feeding may not be sufficient so monitor weight closely. hanging beak may be an additional damage risk but ensure not being used in current feeding. If she is allowed to continue, be prepared for potential health issues with tongue and respiratory system etc.

PLAN: Ok, I am going to snip the beak and start a daily tube feed for a few days to boost her strength while she recovers. I oversee the hens daily as a minimum and will make a closer inspection of her. First sign that any of this is causing her distress or health issues then I will end her suffering. Hopefully its as successful as fluffy bum

 

[Jamie Molihan]

Good luck, my thoughts are with you both.

 

[casportpony]

I have a couple with beak deformities and have found that they do best if I provide them with a deep water dish. One of the hens submerges her head to her eyeballs to drink.

 

[wyrme]

I have a couple with beak deformities and have found that they do best if I provide them with a deep water dish. One of the hens submerges her head to her eyeballs to drink.

Thanks. The dish the have is about 2" deep, not enough to submerge her head, thats one thing I haven't observed yet is drinking, but I assume she couldn't have lasted this long were she not drinking.

 

[casportpony]

Thanks. The dish the have is about 2" deep, not enough to submerge her head, thats one thing I haven't observed yet is drinking, but I assume she couldn't have lasted this long were she not drinking.

Get yourself a kitchen scale and start weighing her daily. If she's not drinking enough she start to lose lots of weight. Her daily water intake if she's not laying should be about 6%. If laying, ~15%.