Crooked beak and squinty eye?

[PolarBerry]

So my poults are now 3.5 weeks old. One of them has always had a squinty eye and noticed in the last few days it's accompanied by a slight scissor beak. Image is above and can see where the tip of the beak is misaligned. I'm wondering if his beak/jaw is crooked and causing these deformities. I don't know if it's genetic or something that happened during hatching.

They're on a 28% protein diet. All active and eating/drinking otherwise.

One other prefers to look at everything with its right eye up, left eye down. I thought it might be a tilt-head but it *can* straighten its head, it just rarely does when looking at things.

I'm assuming these two would be best off as Christmas or Easter dinner vs keeping around long term, especially since I'd like my turkeys to breed eventually.

Any input on what could cause this?

 

[Little Chicken Girl]

View attachment 1127417 So my poults are now 3.5 weeks old. One of them has always had a squinty eye and noticed in the last few days it's accompanied by a slight scissor beak. Image is above and can see where the tip of the beak is misaligned. I'm wondering if his beak/jaw is crooked and causing these deformities. I don't know if it's genetic or something that happened during hatching.

They're on a 28% protein diet. All active and eating/drinking otherwise.

One other prefers to look at everything with its right eye up, left eye down. I thought it might be a tilt-head but it *can* straighten its head, it just rarely does when looking at things.

I'm assuming these two would be best off as Christmas or Easter dinner vs keeping around long term, especially since I'd like my turkeys to breed eventually.

Any input on what could cause this?

It does appear to be a jaw deformity. I am sorry I do not know more though. I will be checking this thread to see what the others say.

I have a chicken with a genetic disorder that causes beak 'twisting' and she is perfectly well and lives happily but she needs a little extra TLC.

However, I would not breed that chick (as you said) and keep an eye on it. If it appears to be in pain or suffering, I would not wait until it is old enough eat to euthanize.

 

[PolarBerry]

He's the most rambunctious of the group and very vocal and active so I will see how he grows. If he can make it to an eating size that would be preferred so he doesn't go to waste.

 

[Little Chicken Girl]

He's the most rambunctious of the group and very vocal and active so I will see how he grows. If he can make it to an eating size that would be preferred so he doesn't go to waste.

Could you post a pic or two when they are older so I can see the turnout? Just curious.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Check your feed date to make sure it isn't too old which can cause vitamin deficiencies and things like rickets. I've never seen a cross beak in a turkey.

 

[PolarBerry]

Pretty sure he was born with it. Mill date is less than a month and stored inside. Doubt it's nutrient related, I think it's either congenital or an early on injury (from hatching or in shipment).

One of my guineas has a cataract and considering 20 of my 22 guinea fowl from the same hatchery dropped dead I think they have some issues either in hatching or their shipping or from the foundation stock. I've heard of others seeing weird deformities in birds from Cackle as well.

 

[PolarBerry]

Update: one tilting its head has stopped doing that.

Have 3 I think are boys (always strutting and neck-ramming each other)... the other 3 stay out of their way. Squinty eye is one of the presumed boys.