GingerRose
Free Ranging
I have read many of the posts about cross beak.
I do understand 100% the importance of keeping one from breeding stock. I understand the devotion it takes to raise one (hopefully) to have a healthy and happy life. I understand its not fair to any chick with cross beak to not get the nourishment it needs.
I have a cross beak chick that hatched (incubator) on July 22nd this year.
It is a Silkie x Satin cross.
I cant determine the gender of course, too young. I have not seen a photo of a chick or adult chicken with as severe cross beak than mine. Im sure one is here somewhere, I just havent found one.
I want to post some photos of it. I do NOT want any bashing of my decision to NOT cull this chick..... If I notice its weight starting to not keep up, I will see what my options are at that time. I am very aware I possibly may have to.
I, personally, cant just cull it as long as its thriving, growing and not getting left out or bullied.
I may regret all of this but I pray it can survive and be healthy and happy.
I dont have a normal job, like most. I am an artist and my studio is on our property, next to our home.
I do as I please and I make pretty decent money for what I call "work". My husband has his own business of 32 years and has no plans to stop anytime soon.
I'm almost 52 years old, a mom, grandmomma, wife, fighter, artist, anything I need to be, I am
I have all the time, finances, compassion, determination, stubbornness and patience to do whatever is necessary for this little chick.
I swear, if I could raise this baby and it be healthy and happy, I would do anything for it, no matter the cost.
However, I do not want it to suffer in any way, what-so-ever. I would be absolutely devastated if I knew I was doing wrong by wanting this chick to live....
I am currently feeding it mush starter, making sure its getting enough to drink, grit and calcium, I'm pulping grass and herbs (anything chicks can eat that grows on our property) insects, fruits, veggies, blooms, whatever i know it can have.. I devote an hour to foraging every day, just for this chick. I actually enjoy it very much.
This chick is not the smallest of the group. Its actually normal in size. There are 2 or 3 smaller chicks. I weigh it on a digital food scale every morning and afternoon.
I have filed its beak a tiny, little bit every day, only to get it used to me having to do it.
It does not try to struggle when I get it out of the pen.
It runs up to the door, when it sees me coming. It does not want to stay with me when im done, it wants to get right back with its siblings and its (surrogate) momma.
I make sure its crop is filling and emptying like it should. I try my best to watch for its poop a few times a day.
It gets vitamins, proteins, fruits, veggies, grass, weeds, seeds and insects. It gets out of the coop when the others do. I allow them out for a few hours every day, while I watch them.
I am so torn on what to do.
I am a nutrurer, a giver, a worker, stubborn and I love my animals more than I LIKE most of the folk I know.
I cant help wanting this chick to grow up and LIVE.
I am so emotional over this tiny little life.
I made a post a few days after this group of chicks hatched from our incubator.
It was a horrible experience that lasted around 31 hours.
Due to 2 incorrectly calibrated hygrometers, my humidity was too low throughout the whole 21 days. Long story short, the chicks that survived, deserve a chance to live.
Now, I will NEVER incubate my own chicks ever again.
It was THAT bad.
I dont know what my true reason for this whole post is, actually...
I guess just to get this off my chest..
If anyone is interested, i would post some photos of my chick.
I have named it PICASSO.
And I love Picasso very much. I am already much too attached to it and I cry when I think about it possibly suffering one day.
I had no idea that cross beak could occur from the humidity being so low. Had I known how much heartbreak I would go through, I would have not opened all those eggs.
....but I did.
Out of 32 eggs, 20 chicks survived. All of the eggs had fully developed chicks inside. The eggs were truly shrink wrapped and I removed every chick as carefully and quickly as I could.
I did break 3 veins and those 3 chicks died, of course. There were 5 chicks with a single splayed leg.
There were 2 with both legs splayed.
There was 2 that suffocated before I could get them out of their egg.
The remaining chicks seemed healthy until 3 weeks old.
I picked these chicks up every morning to make sure they were still okay.
One morning, I found the cross beak..
I immediately started researching...
I am only doing what I feel I should do for Picasso.
Yall dont be too hard on me about this.
I do want to hear your thoughts, opinions and even (kind) scolding will be taken into consideration.
Yall help me do the right thing for this chick. Please.
I do understand 100% the importance of keeping one from breeding stock. I understand the devotion it takes to raise one (hopefully) to have a healthy and happy life. I understand its not fair to any chick with cross beak to not get the nourishment it needs.
I have a cross beak chick that hatched (incubator) on July 22nd this year.
It is a Silkie x Satin cross.
I cant determine the gender of course, too young. I have not seen a photo of a chick or adult chicken with as severe cross beak than mine. Im sure one is here somewhere, I just havent found one.
I want to post some photos of it. I do NOT want any bashing of my decision to NOT cull this chick..... If I notice its weight starting to not keep up, I will see what my options are at that time. I am very aware I possibly may have to.
I, personally, cant just cull it as long as its thriving, growing and not getting left out or bullied.
I may regret all of this but I pray it can survive and be healthy and happy.
I dont have a normal job, like most. I am an artist and my studio is on our property, next to our home.
I do as I please and I make pretty decent money for what I call "work". My husband has his own business of 32 years and has no plans to stop anytime soon.
I'm almost 52 years old, a mom, grandmomma, wife, fighter, artist, anything I need to be, I am
I have all the time, finances, compassion, determination, stubbornness and patience to do whatever is necessary for this little chick.
I swear, if I could raise this baby and it be healthy and happy, I would do anything for it, no matter the cost.
However, I do not want it to suffer in any way, what-so-ever. I would be absolutely devastated if I knew I was doing wrong by wanting this chick to live....
I am currently feeding it mush starter, making sure its getting enough to drink, grit and calcium, I'm pulping grass and herbs (anything chicks can eat that grows on our property) insects, fruits, veggies, blooms, whatever i know it can have.. I devote an hour to foraging every day, just for this chick. I actually enjoy it very much.
This chick is not the smallest of the group. Its actually normal in size. There are 2 or 3 smaller chicks. I weigh it on a digital food scale every morning and afternoon.
I have filed its beak a tiny, little bit every day, only to get it used to me having to do it.
It does not try to struggle when I get it out of the pen.
It runs up to the door, when it sees me coming. It does not want to stay with me when im done, it wants to get right back with its siblings and its (surrogate) momma.
I make sure its crop is filling and emptying like it should. I try my best to watch for its poop a few times a day.
It gets vitamins, proteins, fruits, veggies, grass, weeds, seeds and insects. It gets out of the coop when the others do. I allow them out for a few hours every day, while I watch them.
I am so torn on what to do.
I am a nutrurer, a giver, a worker, stubborn and I love my animals more than I LIKE most of the folk I know.
I cant help wanting this chick to grow up and LIVE.
I am so emotional over this tiny little life.
I made a post a few days after this group of chicks hatched from our incubator.
It was a horrible experience that lasted around 31 hours.
Due to 2 incorrectly calibrated hygrometers, my humidity was too low throughout the whole 21 days. Long story short, the chicks that survived, deserve a chance to live.
Now, I will NEVER incubate my own chicks ever again.
It was THAT bad.
I dont know what my true reason for this whole post is, actually...
I guess just to get this off my chest..
If anyone is interested, i would post some photos of my chick.
I have named it PICASSO.
And I love Picasso very much. I am already much too attached to it and I cry when I think about it possibly suffering one day.
I had no idea that cross beak could occur from the humidity being so low. Had I known how much heartbreak I would go through, I would have not opened all those eggs.
....but I did.
Out of 32 eggs, 20 chicks survived. All of the eggs had fully developed chicks inside. The eggs were truly shrink wrapped and I removed every chick as carefully and quickly as I could.
I did break 3 veins and those 3 chicks died, of course. There were 5 chicks with a single splayed leg.
There were 2 with both legs splayed.
There was 2 that suffocated before I could get them out of their egg.
The remaining chicks seemed healthy until 3 weeks old.
I picked these chicks up every morning to make sure they were still okay.
One morning, I found the cross beak..
I immediately started researching...
I am only doing what I feel I should do for Picasso.
Yall dont be too hard on me about this.
I do want to hear your thoughts, opinions and even (kind) scolding will be taken into consideration.
Yall help me do the right thing for this chick. Please.
