Beaks and toenails

[DoubletakeFarm]

I saw this on another thread and didn't want to hijack that thread but I have a question.

Quote:
How does that happen? Is there something I should be doing to prevent this?

 

[chooks4life]

I'd guess simply by feeding them soft foods on a soft surface, that'd let their beaks overgrow over time, same thing for their claws. Easy to trim if you know what you're doing, potentially harmful or nerve wracking if you don't. Like with our nails, the see through bit is safe to cut. The translucent or opaque bit is sensitive. Same for beaks, spurs, hooves, claws, ets, at least in pale animals, since darker ones can make it harder to see. Good to read a manual on it if you need to trim and never have before, but some manuals would advise you to chop off the beak in front of the nostrils, so really it's best to do some research first and find what you reckon is the best way to do it if you need to.

Long story short there is no need to worry about it, unless you're keeping birds in a caged environment 24/7, in which case they are at some risk of it if you have a very unnatural environment around them. If they're pecking at the hard ground and scratching litter aside to look for food, they'll keep their beaks and claws trimmed. If they're on soft litter and soggy ground, well, I'd guess respiratory issues would likely get them before overgrowth became an issue, though I have seen various people's flocks kept for their entire lives in mud, and worse, pig-wallow mud.... And still not die. Each to their own, best wishes.