Chick with misaligned beak?

[hernameisoyster]

So, my co-nesting hens (random and always one silkie) have just been hatching random babies and my husband just found a little peeper with a misaligned beak.

It's very energetic, very alive, but we're just concerned about this kind of deformity or injury.

As I was writing this, he did confirm that it's drinking! And that there's probably no eye there.

 

[SilverBirds]

He has a deformity called cross(ed) or scissor beak. He seems to have a pretty severe case and as he gets older it will progressively get worse, but with some TLC he can still live a mostly normal life. I know that @Lacy Duckwing has a cross beaked chick so she might be able to give you some tips on caring for the little guy.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

It has a severe case of Crossbeak. (It will get worse as it gets older.) As it's beak grows, you'll need to file it down. (A regular nail file will work.) Because it's beak is so bad, and will get worse, it might (or eventually will) need help eating and possibly drinking. For now, wet mash should be fine.

Now you said something about there's probably no eye there, what did you mean? Did you mean that it's missing an eye?

You also said something about hatching random chicks. Is these chicks hatching from your flock, or did you get the eggs elsewhere? Was the eggs clean or cleaned? If from your flock, was there a possibility of closely related (not line breeding) parents, and is the flock healthy? Is there any known crossbeaks in the flock? Eggsamples: Hairline (often goes unnoticed), Mild (noticable, but very functional), Severe (bad and will need trimming and possible help).

 

[SilverBirds]

I personally would keep him indoors and separated from mom (keep him with a few siblings). That way it'd be easier to monitor his behavior and how much he is easting and drinking.

I'm also not seeing an eye in the picture. Is he missing one or both eyes?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Unfortunately this is a pretty severe case of crossbeak and looks like there's a skull deformity too. It's likely to worsen as it grows. Personally I would cull it - unless you have the time and ability to tube feed it, it's probably going to struggle to eat and drink in the future.

 

[hernameisoyster]

It has a severe case of Crossbeak. (It will get worse as it gets older.) As it's beak grows, you'll need to file it down. (A regular nail file will work.) Because it's beak is so bad, and will get worse, it might (or eventually will) need help eating and possibly drinking. For now, wet mash should be fine.

Now you said something about there's probably no eye there, what did you mean? Did you mean that it's missing an eye?

You also said something about hatching random chicks. Is these chicks hatching from your flock, or did you get the eggs elsewhere? Was the eggs clean or cleaned? If from your flock, was there a possibility of closely related (not line breeding) parents, and is the flock healthy? Is there any known crossbeaks in the flock? Eggsamples: Hairline (often goes unnoticed), Mild (noticable, but very functional), Severe (bad and will need trimming and possible help).

The hens are from our flock, I just meant a few had escaped their yard but are in a safe spot that we monitor daily. And I'm certain there is little to no chance the hen was related to the rooster. No one else in the flock is like this.

What I meant by the no eye comment is my husband gently spread the feathers around their eye socket and found nothing.

I personally would keep him indoors and separated from mom (keep him with a few siblings). That way it'd be easier to monitor his behavior and how much he is easting and drinking.

I'm also not seeing an eye in the picture. Is he missing one or both eyes?

We're definitely keeping it indoors to be safe. He appears to be missing just one eye.

Unfortunately this is a pretty severe case of crossbeak and looks like there's a skull deformity too. It's likely to worsen as it grows. Personally I would cull it - unless you have the time and ability to tube feed it, it's probably going to struggle to eat and drink in the future.

To be honest, my husband and I are both too soft to cull... We know we will have to, but the chick's doing fine at the moment (alert, peeping loudly, walking around the brooder like they own the place), so unless something changes we are happy to feed them ourselves.

 

[SilverBirds]

Please keep us updated on his progress then!