Chick with overgrown beak

[Ximena]

Hi everyone. I have a 3 week-old chick whose top beak seems overgrown. I'm worried that this will cause issues with eating. It hatched late and has always been smaller than the others so I don't want it to get even more behind. What do you think I should do? I tried to file it down with a nail file but I was pretty unsuccessful because its head was so small and I couldn't find a good way to hold it still.

 

[nchls school]

I can't see it in the picture but am guessing the chick is a scissor beak; top and bottom do not line up correctly. If so, this chick will need help to survive-granule or ground up food served in a deeper dish-periodic trimming of the upper and lower beak, some monitoring to make sure it is not being overly picked on by other flock members and so to be sure it is getting enough food.

The chick does not need its beak trimmed yet. It is smaller because of the limitations caused by its beak. The chick eats slower than its normal siblings and can not compete for food.

 

[Ximena]

I can't see it in the picture but am guessing the chick is a scissor beak; top and bottom do not line up correctly. If so, this chick will need help to survive-granule or ground up food served in a deeper dish-periodic trimming of the upper and lower beak, some monitoring to make sure it is not being overly picked on by other flock members and so to be sure it is getting enough food.

The chick does not need its beak trimmed yet. It is smaller because of the limitations caused by its beak. The chick eats slower than its normal siblings and can not compete for food.

As of right now the this chick does not have scissor beak. Although, one of my concerns is that because the beak is longer it might get scissor beak in the future.

 

[Justso]

You would need something a little more powerful like a dremel or a dog nail filer to grind down that little beak, but I agree it's too early to try something like that. Just make sure the chick has access to its own food, maybe get a few food stations going. You could also supplement the chick by pulling it out daily and giving it some mash - chick food w/water.

 

[nchls school]

As the beaks gets too long you will be able to see what needs to be trimmed as it will be a different color (lighter) than the main part of the beak. I use a sharp-new finger nail clippers to trim beaks on small birds. Until you get used to clipping beaks just take small amounts off at a time. Should you take off too much and there's blood, flour can be used to stop the bleed and don't get upset with yourself; it will grow back and the pain does not seem long-lasting.