Broken beak... How serious? Update: adjusting well!

Here is a link to my thread when this happened to my dark brahma Nugget back in August. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=552433 Nugget's broke at more of a 45 degree angle, kind of like scissor beak, not completely off like your hen, although I see the same fragmented pieces.

Anyway, you are pretty much doing everything you can for her. The deep dishes worked pretty well for Nugget as she was able to "scoop" her food and water out and lean her head back. I watered her feed down as well for a while to make kind of a sticky mash so it would kind of stick to her beak making it easier for her to get it. I also found that later on that pellets worked better than crumbles because of the size. She was able to scoop and hurry and tilt her head back and the pellets went right down. Crumbles kind of just fell out and onto the ground. But, Nugget also had the top beak to at least attempt to grasp with, your hen doesn't, so you will just have to see what works better for her. I weighed her frequently to make sure she was getting plenty to eat and supplemented her daily with a poultry vitamin. Some days will be better than others and it will take time, lots of time, but if she can scoop the food and water she will do okay. It will take a lot of adjustment but I was surprised at how well they handle injury. Nugget was in the "hospital" for several weeks and when I was satisfied that she was eating I put her back out with the others.

It has been almost 4 months now and surprisingly Nugget's beak is growing back straight. We trim the end off every couple of weeks to try to keep it from getting too long and hitting the ground thus preventing her getting food. I still bring her in and weigh her to make sure she is getting enough to eat, and she is.
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From your picture it looks like it broke just below the nostrils, which is exactly where Nugget's broke so that gives me some hope that it may grow back. Had I not been able to super glue it, I think it would have looked exactly like yours. I have had people say it doesn't grow back and people say it does, and Nugget's is so hopefully your hen will grow her's back too.
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Good luck to you and I will try to get Nugget to be still long enough to update my original post with a pic so you can see how well she is doing and maybe give you some encouragement.
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Hang in there.
 
That's about how short my Clarisse 's beak was (debeaked). Give her some feed mush as a treat every day. I used to love seeing mine with mush hanging on her beak. She will learn to eat the crumbles, and while that happens, she can have some mush. Mine liked vanilla yogurt too.
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Quote:
And here I thought nobody ever listened to me!

Oh Yay! I am glad that you saw this- After all of the loving care you were giving your hen; I knew you would be an excellent resource!
 
Quote:
And here I thought nobody ever listened to me!

Oh Yay! I am glad that you saw this- After all of the loving care you were giving your hen; I knew you would be an excellent resource!

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I'm sorry that this happened to your poor girl
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Unfortunately, beak loss that close to the face is permanent. There's a tiny chance that she'll beat the odds and grow it back, but it's extremely unlikely. However, it's not a death sentence if you change your feeding habits for her. Mash and deep dishes are key here since she'll adapt her eating habits to 'scooping' rather than pecking.

I would also watch the rest of the flock for how they treat her too. She'll lose the ability to retaliate against pecking, and probably be sent to the bottom of the pecking order.

With a little bit of adjustments, her life shouldn't be too badly impacted. Good luck with her!
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Rockin Reds - Seminolewind - Orpington hopeful!!! Thank you SO so so much!!! Orp I did PM Seminolwind thanks! And thanks for quick response and encouragement!!!
And Rockin Reds!!!! That's the best link yet! Thank you so much and it's very encouraging to see that someone else has experience with this.

My husband's in the basement pouting because the hen is in the cat carrier on the nightstand by the bed, LOL... (I don't trust the dogs..so tuff luck hubby- the chicken wins!)

I appreciate all the wonderful advice!!! One last question... Since it isn't really like a skin wound can I let her back out with the flock if I keep the coop perfectly clean??? My worry is that re-introducing her in a few days will cause her more problems the longer I have her separated, since now she can't peck back... They are typically a pretty mellow flock, and I'd like to think they may not even notice. I have her tonight mainly so I can monitor her water and food consumption, she is not happy though. She much perfers chickens as company to humans...
 
I think its going to take her more than a few days to learn how to eat right and heal up especially with how cold it is there. I would give her at least a week or 2.
 

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