Broken Beak Please Help!!

[redvelvetspumon]

2 weeks ago I went on vacation and a few days after my sister tells me my favorite hen, a barred rock named Velvet, has a broken beak. A chunk of the upper beak tip was gone. I believe it was dried over with blood. She cleaned it and it scabbed in time but I finally got to look at it today and the bird can't peck easily anymore.

She has a full stomach each day and drinks lots of water according to my sister. She is a year old. The chip is rather smoothed over and dirty from her foraging and about a fourth of her upper beak is missing. It is not infected. My sister says she hasn't noticed any regrowth. She used to be top in the pecking order but now we are not sure.

What should I do? Will it regrow, and how long will that take if she uses it everyday to eat etc??

It makes me terribly sad to see her struggle and be a little depressed, or maybe that's just me being depressed. I miss the perfect and adventurous Velvet!

Thank you for listening!

 

[StephieSky]

A chickens beak grows just like our fingernails do. Only much slower. In adult birds it can take a long time to repair a broken beak, it won't happen overnight.

The important thing will be to make sure she's eating and drinking properly until the exposed nerves retract from the damaged tip. I'm glad to hear her crop is full each day Thats a good sign that the damage isn't too bad.

Pecking order is more than just a beak. Its an attitude. One just never knows how these things will play out amongst chickens. It depends entirely on the overall temperament of the flock.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I took in some isa brown battery hens 5 years ago. Their top beaks were removed, so as to stop them from eating their own eggs. They haven't grown back and while "red" no longer lays eggs, she would have to be 7 years old. I have noticed that she has trouble with raw vegetables, but still seems to enjoy her life on Inlet Farm.

 

[redvelvetspumon]

How much beak was missing?

 

[redvelvetspumon]

Thanks! Posting a few pics now

 

[Fancychooklady]

How much beak was missing?

At least half of her top beak had been removed.

 

[StephieSky]

A de-beaked factory chicken generally has their beak cauterized. This is an additional insult to the nerves and the structure of the beak. I think looking at your girl her beak should grow back fine over time :0)
Just watch to make sure it doesn't cause her to drop off on her feeding or water intake. She might be more sensitive to cold water for a little bit but hens prefer cool water so its kind of a catch 22 situation. She's pretty
If she does show sensitivity I'd use Baby Orajel "Natural" - its active numbing agent is clove. And just enough to dab the top of the tip of her beak, you don't want her to eat it. I used it as a topical anesthetic on a sore foot on my chicken and it worked great.
Your girl doesn't look bad The nerves probably aren't exposed. I'm not sure about that. Here's a diagram of the facial nerves: