Cross Beak question

[21hens-incharge]

Within the first week of age is when I tried to introduce the FF. I’ve already mixed up a new batch. I’ll give them some mash today and a little FF tomorrow before it’s fully fermented.

Will a chicken with cross beak ever be a productive egg layer or am I just trying to keep it alive at this point?

Sorry, if the above video answered this question, I can’t view it, my satellite internet sucks.

Your birds cross is minor.

I have a 4+ YEAR old cross beaked orpington.
I feed wet mash every day.
She has been one of my best layers. Keeping weight on her is a challenge.
The wet mash is definitely needed for mine.
mine is able to eat treats like cucumbers and cabbage.

Getting a high protein feed certainly helps.

I do not give treats daily. I need her eating her balanced feed.

 

[slordaz]

I actually found it easier to do it with the pet nail grinder, just make sure not to draw blood , if you do stop and apply some stypix or corn starch to stop the bleeding and let her be, as was treating a pretty bad case of cross beak on some chicks from Cal ranch that I didn't notice when I got her. It doesn't cure it and for the first bit was doing it at least once a week, but she could eat and has a good quality life.

 

[Folly's place]

Some will do pretty well, with careful management. She will need that extra care, and making sure that if she is loosing the battle with malnutrition, that you are on it.
Mary

 

[HAPPYCHICKENLADY17]

they say its hard for them to lay eggs, but at this point if mine is a he or a she, i plan to give it the best quality of life

 

[slordaz]

why would it make it hard for them to lay eggs lol, most likely an old wives tale.

Mine cross beak is the most prolific layer and wants to brood , but I don't dare hatch her eggs as it can have a genetic component to the cross beak

 

[mviera101]

I had a cross beak and we did trim it which helped. My husband made her a deep wooden container to eat out of. I also gave her yogurt and fried eggs to help increase her protein intake .She was always the smallest and sadly fell victim to a hawk later that year ... My heart broke because we loved her, she was a real fighter!

 

[sealer39]

I just gave the chicks some mash. CB (her new name) was the first one to it and she is still stuffing her crop!

CB is getting trimmed tonight, it’s to hard for me to catch her during the day time. I do have Dremel Tool with the same attachments that the pet nail grinder has, I’ll have that ready tonight also.
That is CB at the 9 o’clock position on the bowl.

 

[sealer39]

Pic wasn’t attaching for some reason.

 

[HAPPYCHICKENLADY17]

I Have a silkie that is 20 weeks old with cross beak, i noticed it after she was just a few weeks old....i give it oatmeal in the morning with smashed banana, and do a mash with the option of dry crumbles during the day since there are 3 other hens that live with the little silkie(not sure if its a pullet or cockerel) it doesnt crow yet..then i do give creamed corn as a treat later in the day....i see it try very hard to eat off the ground, but i do make sure it EATS...i have a very deep bowl for waterView attachment 1926366 View attachment 1926367

i also use a bunny water bottle in the coop..the chicks love it

 

[sealer39]

The beak trimming adventure went well. CB was a trooper, never once tried to kick or flap her wings. I made the beaks as symmetrical is I could and I didn’t draw blood or hurt her that I could tell. I just used the clippers and nail file and it went pretty quick.
She was so full of the mash I gave her she had to be a happy chick. Thanks for all the advice everyone!