Cross Beak

[Jharper]

One of my 5 day old chicks is cross beaked. It doesn't seem to bad, but you can tell. I have looked at the photos online. She doesn't to be as bad as some of them. Will she be ok?

 

[Wisher1000]

I know you don't want to hear this, but you and the chick will be better off if it is culled. It almost always gets worse and worse. The poor thing will always be a burden, always be hungry or both. I tried it once, will never try it again. I have heard many more horror stories of unhappy owners and unhappy chickens (just to die anyway) than I have success or even semi-success stories. Do the research and try not to weigh the positive ones too heavily. A quick, painless death is better than being constantly on the verge of starvation and begging for help. My little guy would follow me around peeping incessantly because when I hand fed him, he felt better. It was sad while he lived and sad when he died and it was my fault for letting it go on as long as it did. I'm sorry, but I wish (there I go again) someone had told me what I just told you.

 

[Jharper]

Thanks. I think she might be ok or she might not. Only time will tell.

 

[Wisher1000]

Well, I tried.

 

[Jharper]

It's ok.

 

[cafarmgirl]

I had a chick in my last batch that started showing a slight cross at about 3 weeks. It did not get worse and in fact as she grew it corrected and she is completely normal now. My vet suspects vitamin D deficiency? I don't know, he said it was just an educated guess and I've never dealt with it before but I know that as soon as they started going outside and getting some sun every day the cross beak started getting less and less until she was normal.

So, you might just watch and see how things go and see if it gets progressively worse or not. If it's not too bad they can learn to get along with it but I've seen some that are really bad and the chicken just did not do well. In that case I personally would cull but there are some people who go all out and do the tube feeding etc. etc.

 

[Jharper]

I had a chick in my last batch that started showing a slight cross at about 3 weeks.  It did not get worse and in fact as she grew it corrected and she is completely normal now.  My vet suspects vitamin D deficiency?  I don't know, he said it was just an educated guess and I've never dealt with it before but I know that as soon as they started going outside and getting some sun every day the cross beak started getting less and less until she was normal. 

So, you might just watch and see how things go and see if it gets progressively worse or not.  If it's not too bad they can learn to get along with it but I've seen some that are really bad and the chicken just did not do well.  In that case I personally would cull but there are some people who go all out and do the tube feeding etc. etc.

Can I feed then oranges? Or is that vitamin c

 

[sumi]

Oranges is a source or Vit C, yes. Sunlight is a good source of Vit D.

I think you will find this thread helpful, should you decide to give your chick a chance:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-for-special-needs-chickens-and-their-keepers

 

[casportpony]

I have one with a crossed beak. She has a hard time pecking food off the ground, so she gets to eat out of the feed bag or a deep dish.

 

[Mwing14]

Hi I had a chick with a crooked beak, it started of not bad but it did get worse. She kept eating though and that's all that mattered to me. She had a nice life with yhe flock and got along fine. However this winter she died unexpectedly. We think it was the cold and she wasn't getting as much food as she needed. I don't regret keeping her though. She was very sweet and if I got another crooked beak. I would do it all over again. I hope yours turns out okay