chick with crossed beak...need answers

[RockyToggRanch]

One of my week old MFD chicks has a beak issue. It's not really crossed, but just not quite lined up. It seems to be growing as well as the others. It's the one in the upper right corner.

Are there problems that appear later in life due to this? Can it live a normal life?

click picture to enlarge

 

[Indiana hens]

I was encouraged not to make soup of this hen.5-20-08. She has still not laid an egg. Her beak is very crossed now. I think butchering her would be as comforting as clipping her beak.

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Do their beaks progressively get worse?

 

[al6517]

I also have a little pullet with a cross beak, it is not as bad as some I have seen, and she does have some issues, but is growing well although not as well as the others. she seems to just figure it out I do hand feed her scratch every now and then and it's kinda fun to watch her eat it. not much in the way of a remedy.

AL

 

[katrinag]

Yes they can live with extra care. You need to make sure her/he food is in a deeper bowl so it can scoop it's food. It will probley have trouble preening its feather. DO NOT BREED THE CHICKEN.
I just cull the ones like that. They have no use on a working farm. But that is up to you.

 

[bluie]

Our silkie rooster didn't develop a severe cross beak until he was 2 months old. Most of what I read said that he should be culled or he would need hand feeding or he would eventually starve to death. Well, we did nothing, and he, at 7 months, is just as robust and active as ever. He shares roostering duties with a white silkie (among 5 standard hens). He is a great bird and an excellent rooster, always watching out for his girls. We will, of course, hesitate to let any of his offspring hatch.

 

[chickshadit]

About a year ago, we too had a chick with an extreme cross beak. We ended up naming her Little Bit and she was quite a character. We hand fed her and she also ate with the rest of the chickens. The others never picked on her even thou she remained tiny-she would often roost under a large hen when it was cold. She had no problem eating and drinking, but she didn't grow well and she did eventually die. I think winter was to hard on her.
We did not find any remedy for her, just babied her and enjoyed her friendly and entertaining personality.

 

[nzpouter]

cull it.

 

[77horses]

Quote:
No! Don't cull her/him!(notice I'm not using the word, "it".

) That's just the "easy" way out...for you.

If I were you, I would first just raise her/him like the rest, and see how she/he turns out. If she/he is not doing well and is not eating, drinking, etc. on her/his own, then I would seek further help. I would never kill him/her, unless she/he was suffering or in extreme pain and I couldn't do anything about it.
I hope your poor chick turns out OK! Hopefully someone with more knowledge can help you.

Good luck!

 

[RockyToggRanch]

It's not a huge deformity. Just not quite lined up straight. I almost didn't notice. I guess I just take it a day at atime and see what happens.