Crossbeak hen—need advice

[kpenn26]

Gabby is my 1.5 year old Wyandotte. She has been a crossbeak from the beginning. She adapted well and is able to eat, although she is smaller than her sisters and always looks scruffy because of her inability to groom well. Recently I noticed one of her nostrils is completely occluded. I’ve tried moistening it to see if I can remove the occlusion but it is hard and thick. Should I try to surgically remove?
She also has had scaly leg mites at some point, and I’ve tried ivermectin, Vaseline, and I soaked her legs in elector PSP probably a month ago. There has been no change. Her legs have looked like this for quite some time. None of my other hens have any trace of scaly leg mites. I don’t why she does—maybe because she cannot groom well. She is beginning to limp some now. Any advice would be appreciated. I do not want to cull her as she is a lovely personality and still lays consistently when in season.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi,

We have a cross beak about the same age, but a silkie.

We also get SLM every couple of years, because they're silkies too. With either the Ivermectin or the Vaseline, the treatment has to be done a week to 10 days later, or there could be mite eggs that got missed. I'm wondering if that's what happened, as they should start showing improvement. SLM is a long process though and takes months for them to regrow the scales on their legs.

As for her nostrils, I do not know if it's needed since their mouths are always open. She must've grown to adapt to it if you just noticed it and it's closed off. We use a dremel to trim our silkies beak. If that's what you have, I'd be tempted to use that on the nose a little bit and see if that's just like scar tissue there.

 

[kpenn26]

Hi,

We have a cross beak about the same age, but a silkie.

We also get SLM every couple of years, because they're silkies too. With either the Ivermectin or the Vaseline, the treatment has to be done a week to 10 days later, or there could be mite eggs that got missed. I'm wondering if that's what happened, as they should start showing improvement. SLM is a long process though and takes months for them to regrow the scales on their legs.

As for her nostrils, I do not know if it's needed since their mouths are always open. She must've grown to adapt to it if you just noticed it and it's closed off. We use a dremel to trim our silkies beak. If that's what you have, I'd be tempted to use that on the nose a little bit and see if that's just like scar tissue there.

Thank you very much for the reply. I did follow up with ivermectin 10 days later. Had it written in my calendar and everything. I don’t know why her feet are not improving, and I’m wondering if I should soak her feet tomorrow in warm epsom salt water and then try to get some of the thick scales off with a scalpel and tweezers. I was trying to wait to let them come off naturally, but they just seem unchanged after every treatment. This is going on probably 5 months now.
I do not have a dremel, and I have not ever had to trim her beak yet but we are to the point now that I need to. I have sharp nail clippers (for dogs) that I bought just for this purpose, but I’d be interested in doing what you do. Would you share a link to the tool you have?

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you very much for the reply. I did follow up with ivermectin 10 days later. Had it written in my calendar and everything. I don’t know why her feet are not improving, and I’m wondering if I should soak her feet tomorrow in warm epsom salt water and then try to get some of the thick scales off with a scalpel and tweezers. I was trying to wait to let them come off naturally, but they just seem unchanged after every treatment. This is going on probably 5 months now.
I do not have a dremel, and I have not ever had to trim her beak yet but we are to the point now that I need to. I have sharp nail clippers (for dogs) that I bought just for this purpose, but I’d be interested in doing what you do. Would you share a link to the tool you have?

Never pull those scales off as that's very painful for them. The most you could do is soak them in Epsom salts and use a soft toothbrush just to go the same direction of the scales, never upward. That might make some of the crud shed off but the scales you have to leave alone. She'll shed them in time and they'll regrow.

The one I bought I wish I hadn't, but it's a fingernail dremel, and it's not cordless. Here's the one I have in my cart on Chewy I want to get.

https://www.chewy.com/boshel-rechargeable-dog-nail-grinder/dp/335804

Wrap her in a towel like a burrito. Have flour nearby as you'll make her bottom one bleed, but the way we do it makes her two beaks match up better so she eats and pecks better.

We first cut the part on the top we can tell could come off with a sidecutters or little dikes, a tool.


Then grind more off the top and some off the bottom.

 

[kpenn26]

Thank you for the great info. I did go ahead and soak her feet in epsom salt and scrubbed gently with a soft toothbrush, and some of the scales that were loose came off. Hers are in bad shape so I may try to do that daily for a while. I also slathered in coconut oil afterwards. Tomorrow I’ll try trimming her beak. I’m a nurse so most things don’t bother me but the beak trimming is intimidating to me since I’ve never done it. Don’t want to hurt my girl but I know she needs it.
Thanks again for taking the time to respond. Hopefully i’ll have some good updates.