chicken with a crooked beak

[shend]

One of the survivors of the raccoon attack has a crooked beak. Don't know if it was before the attack but it clearly is now as she grows.

Its like the bottom beak is moved over from the top and the beak doesn't close down completely. It doesne't seem to bother her, she's an Amercanus and seems healthy and growing. I just wonder if defects occur and if this particular one is going to be bothersome to her eating.

Any ideas?

 

[Imp]

With a deep food dish she should be able to scoop her food.

Good of you to take care of her.

Imp

 

[joe12pack]

Interesting... I have an easter egger that also has a cross-beak.

One thing I had a problem with is that she can't clean her feathers and keep herself clean. I noticed she was infested with lice. I don't know if she was the cause but she definitely was a factory of lice.

Also, I usually end up buying crumbles just for her when the rest of the flock eat pellets, and she has a separate bucket of food where she puts her head upside down between her legs to try to eat. It's the most unusual thing but I think she's usually hungry because she can't eat properly. Obviously, she is 1/3 the size of the other chickens her same age. Like a full grown midget.

In hindsight, I probably should have culled her at an early age.

 

[ReikiStar]

It actually is not uncommon for some crossbeaks to get lice because they are unable to properly groom and pick lice off themselves as normal, healthy birds can. Managing the lice is the best way. I'd recommend Manna Pro's all natural enzyme spray, Poultry Protector. You can use it much more regularly than Sevin or any of the other chemicals.

Keeping their beaks trimmed also helps. Some people let the beaks get too long and even though they don't line up, it's too hard for the bird to get anything in their mouth. Just like nails, beaks need regular trimming.