Cross beak not eating like normal after beak trim.

[Shadrach]

Don't trim beaks with any form of cutters!
Even the part that looks opaque has receptors in it. If you have to adjust the beak do it slowly, a mm at a time and use a file!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1166494/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159111003285

 

[The Coop Crew]

If the beak is light enough to see through (or partially see through, at least at the tip), you don't want to trim through or near the triangle of opaque that takes up most of in the center from a top down view.

Okay Thank you! That is super helpful.

 

[The Coop Crew]

Don't trim beaks with any form of cutters!
Even the part that looks opaque has receptors in it. If you have to adjust the beak do it slowly, a mm at a time and use a file!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1166494/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159111003285

Okay! Thank you! I appreciate the helpful information

 

[The Coop Crew]

Mine use the pavers around their coop for just that. They are not crossbeak however.

My chickens do that too. They have a big rock in the run and then little rocks in the ground to run their beaks across.

 

[TwoCrows]

I am so glad she is eating now! Look closely at the photo below, the upper mandible, you can see the dark line going all the way around? This is the blood line or quick, which is also present in the lower mandible. Its easy to see this line on light colored beaks, nearly impossible to see on dark beaks....

Definitely trim the beak more often, a bird that isn't or can't wipe their beaks will need a trim every 2 weeks, they grow about a 16th to an 8th of and inch in this amount of time.

I now use a pet nail grinder to trim long beaks, these are SO quick, they remove beak material very fast. Less stress on birds and little if any heat. Take a look at this article on trimming beaks and claws, you can see the pet grinder there. I got it from Chewy.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/beak-and-claw-trimming.74570/

 

[Shadrach]

There are many reasons not to use any form of cutter on a chickens beak.
One reason is demonstrated by the OP.
Apart from the intense pain it causes and the longer term trauma there is always the risk that one causes hiarline fractures in the beak because no cutters are going to exactly match the beaks profile.
As can be seen by reading the study I linked to above, there is no safe region. Beaks are not like human finger nails.
Beak trimming has been made illegal in many countries and advising anyone who is not a qualified vet to undertake such an operation is completely irresponsible in my opinion.
Read the studies. Look at the pictures and understand what it is that one is doing.

 

[The Coop Crew]

There are many reasons not to use any form of cutter on a chickens beak.
One reason is demonstrated by the OP.
Apart from the intense pain it causes and the longer term trauma there is always the risk that one causes hiarline fractures in the beak because no cutters are going to exactly match the beaks profile.
As can be seen by reading the study I linked to above, there is no safe region. Beaks are not like human finger nails.
Beak trimming has been made illegal in many countries and advising anyone who is not a qualified vet to undertake such an operation is completely irresponsible in my opinion.
Read the studies. Look at the pictures and understand what it is that one is doing.

I understand that 100%. I can tell you I’m not trimming it to the extent that commercial farming does. I’m simply trying to make sure my chicken can eat. She has to be able to eat to survive. I am learning new things each day and I know many people trim their chickens beaks to maintain a length that is suitable for them to eat. I would never trim a beak for any other reason. Clearly I was very upset that I caused my chicken discomfort. I know now better but there are kinder ways to go about educating….

 

[Shadrach]

I understand that 100%. I can tell you I’m not trimming it to the extent that commercial farming does. I’m simply trying to make sure my chicken can eat. She has to be able to eat to survive. I am learning new things each day and I know many people trim their chickens beaks to maintain a length that is suitable for them to eat. I would never trim a beak for any other reason. Clearly I was very upset that I caused my chicken discomfort. I know now better but there are kinder ways to go about educating….

My apologies. It's a topic I feel very strongly àbout having looked after a number of Ex Battery hens and rescue hens who had endured variouß levels of beak mutilation and spent many hours with a file trying to ensure these poor creatures could groom and eat properly. The internet has many articles, some better than others, mostly well intention that are ignorant about the sensitivity of the chickens beak.

 

[The Coop Crew]

My apologies. It's a topic I feel very strongly àbout having looked after a number of Ex Battery hens and rescue hens who had endured variouß levels of beak mutilation and spent many hours with a file trying to ensure these poor creatures could groom and eat properly. The internet has many articles, some better than others, mostly well intention that are ignorant about the sensitivity of the chickens beak.

Thank you. I commend you for all of the hard work and love you put into those sweet birds. I just want it to be clear that I would never intentionally hurt any of my chickens. They are pets in our home and we love them very much. Thank you for helping me learn and understand the correct thing to do.
I actually just wrote an article about caring for a cross beak and had mentioned trimming with nail clippers. I immediately went and corrected the information earlier today after I read what you posted.

 

[The Coop Crew]

I am so glad she is eating now! Look closely at the photo below, the upper mandible, you can see the dark line going all the way around? This is the blood line or quick, which is also present in the lower mandible. Its easy to see this line on light colored beaks, nearly impossible to see on dark beaks....

View attachment 3897284

Definitely trim the beak more often, a bird that isn't or can't wipe their beaks will need a trim every 2 weeks, they grow about a 16th to an 8th of and inch in this amount of time.

I now use a pet nail grinder to trim long beaks, these are SO quick, they remove beak material very fast. Less stress on birds and little if any heat. Take a look at this article on trimming beaks and claws, you can see the pet grinder there. I got it from Chewy.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/beak-and-claw-trimming.74570/

Thank you for that! I actually found a grinder today that we used for our cat so I will put that with my chicken stuff
I appreciate all the help so much. I love my girls so much and just want to give them the best life possible