can a scissor bill or cross bill be corrected in young chicks?

[Aves]

a friend just gave me a wheaten ameracana, about 3 weeks old with a severe cross bill. is there a way to slowly ease it back into a somewhat normal postion while it is still developing so quickly?

thanks in advance for your help

aves

 

[EweSheep]

No, unfortunately.

You can file a bit but have to get deep feeders for them to "scoop" up the feed. Many of cross beaks chickens do survive if you take the time to see their needs for deep feed dishes.

 

[cininohio]

I had a crossed billed sebright named twisty, lol. We always put food on the ground and she also foraged. She lived for 5 or 6 years and did fine! My brother in law still has some of her grandbabies.

 

[kathyinmo]

It seems cross beak is more prevalent in Easter Eggers and Ameraucanas for some reason. No, it does not improve. It is likely to worsen with age, as is my experience.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

While I agree that you cannot "cure" it, you certainly can correct it to some extent and prevent it from becoming worse by gently filing the upper and lower beaks on alternate sides with an emory board each week.

When you look at the bird, if the upper beak is going to the right and the lower beak is going left, then file the right side of the upper beak and the left side of the lower beak on the sides. Be careful not to do too much at one time as they will bleed a bit if you do.

I have a gorgeous blue cuckoo severely cross-beaked silkie roo who is not used as a breeder but is the BEST babysitter you could ever want. He owns the grow-out pen and all the babies of all ages live with him. He is calm and teaches them all good habits.

I always thought he would be killed in any roo confrontation, but he kicked a cockerels proverbial a$$ last week when the cockerel flew over into his pen.

The cockerel is none the worse for wear, but if a bird could ever be embarrassed, you could tell he was!!

 

[ChicksterJo]

I have an Easter Egger that is 3 weeks old with a crossbeak. The lower beak is going to the right so I have to clean up the left side of his beak when food gets stuck. What should I use to file the left side of the upper beak? It eats and drinks normally and is the same size as another 'normal' Easter Egger of the same age.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

An emory board used for artificial nails is the best.

 

[ChicksterJo]

About how far would I be able to file its beak? The top beak is getting pretty long as you can see. Thanks for the help.

 

[Ms.FuzzyButts]

You can file only as far back as that little (almost white) line is around the perimeter of its beak. Any farther and it will bleed.

 

[ChicksterJo]

Ok so before that pinkish looking spot on the upper beak is (at least in the photo) is where I should stop.

Thanks. I am very worried about him, we call him Michael Jackson but we hope he's really Janet Jackson. He's so sweet and doesn't fuss when I pick him up. I don't want to let him go.