Crooked beak!

[Chicken Woman26]

My old friend Crookneck has a crooked beak. Crookneck is a "handicapped chicken". When she was a chick she was dropped and broke her neck. She lived life with all my other chickens, but her neck is all crooked and her head is close to her body. She can't groom herself and she has to move her whole body to peck the ground, but she is on the higher end of the pecking order and is healthy. Today I saw she had a crooked bottom beak. I tried feeding her normal pellets, chick starter and grower feed, cat food and strawberries. She would peck at it, but not get any thing. I also tried mush made out of the pellets. She didn't like that. I felt her crop and it still empty. She is four years old. She has been drinking. I will keep trying to feed her mush and normal food and every thing in between but what else should i do?

 

[Granny Hatchet]

can you file the beak? alot of people do, they also tube feed as a temporary thing. if she cant pick it up until you figure it out make a thick mash, so she doesn't. choke and put small amounts in her mouth. i give my babies wet food so it is soft and easy to get in there. i would also add vitamins .

 

[Chicken Woman26]

her bottom beak is curved. they are not crossed.

 

[ten chicks]

her bottom beak is curved. they are not crossed.

If she does not have crossed/scissor beak,then it is probably a result of her not being able to naturally file beak down on her own due to neck issues and now it has grown to long. You will have to file it down for her.

 

[Chicken Woman26]

how

 

[Chicken Woman26]

and i dont think it is over grown. the tip is fine, but one side of the bottom is poking out and one side is far in. it is like a not too deep C.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

think i would try to file a little off both just so they would meet each other in what ever direction they happen to be. start with nail file and if that dont work go to wood file but easy with that. real light pressure.