Cross Beak On A Chick

yes I just hatched one 6 weeks ago...she was so sweet and it started out so small and not even noticeable...I did nothing to try to prevent it and in 4 weeks she couldn't even eat properly...it got progressively worse very fast...I have since sent her to heaven...try to do something about it now and not wait....good luck

 

There are many threads floating around about cross beak. You will need to trim/file her beak some as she grows. And offer her a deep food dish as she will have trouble eating. You have to keep your eye on the cross beak chick and be sure she is getting food and water. I don't know too much about this cross beak, but I have heard of it.

 

Not to be discouraging, but I had an EE hen with the same scissor beak condition, and it did not end well. I tried to fix it, made special mash for her, but in the end there was little I could do for her. She had a few good months and then died. After weeks of special care I just couldn't put her down myself, so she basically starved in the end, I felt AWFUL, but I just couldn't do it I should have had a friend put her down when she started to do poorly, or taken her back to the feed store that second day. Either way I learned a valuable lesson. Good luck! Sorry about your little hen.

 

yes I did the deep wet mash food thing but I watched her closely and saw how hard it was for her and she was already hungry all the time and spent all her time trying to eat enough. So I loved her too much to see her suffer any and made that hard choice...I am glad I did.

 

I had one EE with cross beak. WE loved her. She spent more time in the house than any other bird. Underfoot a lot so I would perch her on a chair while I did dishes or my shoulder.I tried several different remedies--none worked. I rehomed her. She also died. I think she had a respiratory problem which did her in, according to her new family. We were all very sad. She was special.

I now have another chick and would like to breed EE so I'm looking for more info on cross beak and how to eliminate it..

 

If you search this site under "special needs chickens," you'll find several posts from folks with cross-beaked chickens, including me. My Sylvie is now 5 1/2 months old and, while a little smaller than her three roommates, she is definitely at the top of the pecking order. We do make special accommodations for her, and she does spend much of her time thinking about food, but she is thriving....so far. So far, none of them have started laying....who knows, maybe she'll out-do them all yet!

mm