? cross-beak & debeaking ?

[mmaddie's mom]

Have been reading on here lately about debeaking... horrible practice! And have also been reading about cross-beak problems.

Could a horrible practice be the solution to a horrible deformity? If debeaked beaks don't grow back could this practice be used to cut off the ends of cross beaks and help to achieve a more normal beak configuration? I don't know what debeaking practices consist of, but obviously the bird can live through it... so... what do you think? Can something good come of this?

I have neither a debeaked bird or a cross-beak one... so I'm just thinking?

Thoughts?!?

 

[CMV]

De-beaking is done mostly to the top beak. Cross beak affects the bottom beak, but usually comes from deformities in the musculature of the face, as I understand it. It's actually problems in the facial muscles that pull the bottom beak to one side.

 

[buckabucka]

I just very slightly trim my cross-beak to help her eat more easily. So far, she seems to be getting enough food.

Robin

 

[True Grit]

Amazing you asked this question as i was just thinking the same thing. My crossbeaked 13 week old wasn't even crossed at all 3 weeks ago and now i would call her severe. Watching her trying to freerange is heartbreaking although I think she is still getting enough crumbles to eat. She is smaller than the others though. Trimming will not help, but I was wondering if cutting both beaks would so she can grasp her food better. I imagine it would be very painful for her so I don't know if I could actually do it. I doubt it.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

I know nothing about how the debeaking is done, so I can't be of any help... it was just a thought?

 

[robinwiththechickens]

I apologize in advance if this qualifies as "bumping" an old thread, but I've been thinking similar thoughts lately...I just adopted two adult crossbeakers and want to help them any way I can. De-beaking seems completely inhumane to me, but it also breaks my heart to watch these two struggle from sun-up to sun-down just to get enough to eat.

I have tried trimming, but was unable to trim much without drawing blood. And it didn't seem to help much.

What about their poor little tongues? Do they get trimmed back too? The two girls I have now, have their tongues hanging out most of the time as is, the ends are all brown and dry. Does this mean the tissue is dead or dying or just dried out?

Is there any way to tranquilize them or knock them out while you do this horrible thing to them?

Just the thought of doing this turns my stomach a little, but I'm at a loss here.

 

[CMV]

Most severely crossbeaked birds die of the condition. They simply can't get enough food to fulfill their bodily requirements. That is the way of it. There is little you can do to save these birds. Post some pics of your birds and perhaps we can offer some advice on trimming the beaks, but I wouldn't hold out any real hope that anything can be done to help your birds.

 

[robinwiththechickens]

They are very sweet, and I want to do the best I can for them. My hubby has named them Lindsay (as in Lohan) and Britney (as in Spears) because they are such "cutie-pies" LOL Here is a picture of Miss Britney and Miss Lindsay respectively.

 

[Nimby Chickens]

I have a crossbeak myself, and she is the friendliest bird. She's pretty much a step away from being a house chicken - follows me everywhere, fearless and silly. I picked her up out of pity at a feed store - she was missing an eye and very crossbeaked.

She is skinny and I keep her inside at night so she doesn't waste calories staying warm. I let her eat directly out of the food bag (she just jumps into it - pretty hilarious actually, she started doing that all by herself!) She will probably never lay an egg even though she is a Black Star because it's hard to meet her nutritional needs. I give her .5 cc of polyvisol without iron every 2 days. I dust her for parasites every 10 days like clockwork because I know that if she gets any mites she may die. If I think she feels lighter or looks poorly, I tube feed her yogurt and liquefied egg yolk mixed with polyvisol. Oatmeal is one of her favorite treats since it sticks to her beak she seems to be able to eat it easier.

If anyone needs help with tube feeding or wants info I'd be happy to help. Tube feeding is VERY easy so do not be daunted.

 

[CMV]

If anyone needs help with tube feeding or wants info I'd be happy to help. Tube feeding is VERY easy so do not be daunted.

Can you post a "tutorial" about this on the site? It is something that everyone should know how to do.

I think tube feeding is going to be the only way your girls really do well, robinwiththechickens. Those crossbeaks are pretty bad. Lindsay might benefit from a de-beaking, but that is questionable. And Britney isn't going to be helped at all.