Crooked Beak??

[CoopDeVille]

I have a 3 week old Golden Laced Polish hen who has a crooked beak. Is there anything I can do to help her? She seems to be eating and drinking just fine for now, but I'm afaid if it gets worse she may have a hard time. Will she be ok if she can still eat and drink? Should I be concerned? Would trimming her top beak help??

 

[Josie]

Welcome to the board!
I don't have a lot of experience with this condition, but friends that have birds with this condition. The birds have no problems functioning.
Don't breed them though, it is passed through genetics.

 

[kstaven]

Scissor beak can also be a sign of dietary deficiencey. Trimming to cause the beak to deflect in the opposite direction can work. But best left to those with experience at this.

 

[dlhunicorn]

various info here:
"Scissor Beak"
http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=linksgeneralinfo&action=display&num=1178273217

consulting a vet for advice on trimming measures as KStave recommends is a good one but you might print out the following and ask the vet about this:
http://harrisonsbirdfoods.com/learningcenter/BestOf2.pdf
"Use of Penetran for Beak Malocclusion Greg J. Harrison, DVM Dipl. ABVP Avian"
(excerpt)
Topical application of Penetran is effective for avian skin rashes, local irritations and ulcerations. It can be mixed with aloe vera liquid for generalized dermatologic conditions. Because it has penetrating properties, I have used it to treat some deeper muscular problems. In two cases of a serious beak malocclusion with underbite, the only therapy was application of Penetran to the facial muscles including the periopthalmic areas. In a ten-day-old cockatoo, the muscles relaxed and the beak returned to normal positioning overnight; a full week of Penetran application and prolonged periods of manual positioning of the beak were also successful in a four-week-old cockatoo.Penetran is a commercially available ammonium solution from TransDermal Technologies, Inc.
(800-676-7354)."