Blue Wyandotte has funny comb with crooked beak

[JHaller]

I'm looking for excuses to not cull this Blue Wyandotte. At 2 days, the comb area was dark and the beak was straight. At 26 days, I notice that the beak is getting crooked and the comb is not developing the way the other BWs are developing.

In other posts on crooked beaks, I see people keeping the "special" birds successfully. Before I get too attached to this critter, does this comb indicate some brain or skull deformity? Will I have behavior issues with this bird? All the photos are supposed to be pullets. They are 26 days old.

Here is a photo of the crooked beaked bird (the red smudges are just hatchery marks, ignore them please):

The healthier broodmates (also with red hatchery marks) look like this:

I expect the beak will get worse as time goes on, and I plan to monitor the bird's ability to eat and drink.

What else should I be watching for to take proper care of this bird?

Thanks, everyone.

Judith
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[LindsayB]

I think you do have to help them out alittle bit with eating and make sure they gain weight properly. It is some extra care and sometimes they do die anyways. If your thinking about culling it I'll take it!

 

[chickenpiedpiper]

The whole beak is crooked? not just the top? If the whole thing is, and both parts meet together and work, I dont see why the bird would have much difficulty, You could just name him Popeye, cause his mouth is all on one side. I wouldnt use him as breeding stock, but I wouldnt cull him/her either. Now if it was a case of cross bill, that would be different.

Good Luck!

 

[JHaller]

The beak isn't crossed at this point, I'm hoping it stays aligned. No such thing as Chicken Braces for Chicken Malocclusion, I presume!

LindsayB, Thank you for the offer! I have family in the Cypress/Magnolia area, so I'll give you first choice if I have to rehome her (him?). She's feathering out beautifully blue.

It's my fingers that are crossed....

Judith

 

[scgamecock]

She will be fine.Also don't worry about the miscolored comb.Blue Wyandotte's for some reason seem to start out with a darker almost black comb but they will turn red.I just wouldn't breed her in case it's something in her genes.