Chicks with broken beaks

[NewChickenLady84]

I have 4 ISA browns that I got from Tractor Supply. They will be 4 weeks at the end of this week (at least I think so anyways, the store didn’t know their age)
About 2 weeks ago, I noticed one had both upper and lower parts of her beak broken off. Then about a week later, another had only the top tip off, then eventually the lower to the same size.
I just checked on them now and all 4 have some degree of break at the tip of their beaks, like the photo I attached. Why could this be happening, should I change something in my brooder set-up and are they going to be ok?? They all seem to be eating and drinking and growing just fine

 

[Eggcessive]

Is there anything sharp in your brooder, such as a metal feeder or wire hardware cloth?

 

[BaaKaaawk]

Based on your brooder picture the only thing I see that is suspect is that metal roosting things. I have raised hundreds of chicks using the exact other gear you have with no beak injuries like that. So either they're pecking at that thing or somehow getting their beaks injured on it falling, or stuck, or other.

 

[NewChickenLady84]

Is there anything sharp in your brooder, such as a metal feeder or wire hardware cloth?

No metal inside or anywhere they can reach. The heat lamp has a metal guard on it, but I haven’t seen them fly that high yet. Brooder is cardboard panels. Feeders are plastic bases with glass jars and they have some wood to roost on

 

[NewChickenLady84]

Based on your brooder picture the only thing I see that is suspect is that metal roosting things. I have raised hundreds of chicks using the exact other gear you have with no beak injuries like that. So either they're pecking at that thing or somehow getting their beaks injured on it falling, or stuck, or other.

The roost thing is made of wood. Unless they are hitting the heat lamp guard but I didn’t think they could reach it. I’ll raise the lamp up more

 

[BaaKaaawk]

The roost thing is made of wood. Unless they are hitting the heat lamp guard but I didn’t think they could reach it. I’ll raise the lamp up more

Oh. Well wood shouldn't do that and no they can't hit that light. You may have to monitor them and try to figure out what it is doing. These youngsters will peck at anything shiny. You may have another picking on it.

Honestly, in my opinion, it's not that bad- the chick will be fine. But it would be nice to stop it, if possible.

 

[NewChickenLady84]

No metal inside or anywhere they can reach. The heat lamp has a metal guard on it, but I haven’t seen them fly that high yet. Brooder is cardboard panels. Feeders are plastic bases with glass jars and they have some wood to roost on

Thank you for your replies
I mostly just want to make sure they will be ok and fix anything I’m doing wrong. I hear and see them pecking the cardboard all the time lol
I have two bantam chicks in there with them and their beaks are just fine, they are different looking but they have no problems

 

[BaaKaaawk]

Thank you for your replies
I mostly just want to make sure they will be ok and fix anything I’m doing wrong. I hear and see them pecking the cardboard all the time lol
I have two bantam chicks in there with them and their beaks are just fine, they are different looking but they have no problems

They're quite inquisitive little critters! But they look healthy. We'll see if anyone else has some feedback on the beaks. Unless they're pecking at the cardboard all day long, I can't imagine it would do much damage. Maybe that one just has a stubby beak for now!

 

[Amber8787]

@NewChickenLady84 - did you figure out why this was happening? Almost all of my chicks have the same issue! I heard it was that the egg tooth fell off at first but I really don't know. My chicks are just over 5 weeks old now and their beaks are still broken looking. :-(

 

[NewChickenLady84]

@NewChickenLady84 - did you figure out why this was happening? Almost all of my chicks have the same issue! I heard it was that the egg tooth fell off at first but I really don't know. My chicks are just over 5 weeks old now and their beaks are still broken looking. :-(

Unfortunately I have not figured out why. Three of them have short stubby beaks. The forth one has a beak that the top is shorter than the bottom, but she’s eating and drinking fine.
I too thought it was their egg tooth that fell off, but I don’t know