Cure for Crossbeak?

[Lilorp14]

I have a 1 week old Silkie chick who just started showing signs of Crossbeak on Saturday. It has gotten progressively worse and now the older chicks are starting to peck at it. I've separated her and her 2 sisters out for some TLC. I know there's a cure for crossbeak as hens (brick in the run, they rub their beaks on it and it gets better) but is there one for chicks? I'm not one for giving up on one of my babies so I'll fight it out with her to the end. She's still eating and drinking well but I want to nip it in the bud ASAP. Also, is this a genetic thing? I was considering breeding her....Any ideas on how to fix this?

 

[Krcismesia]

I read an article one time about this and it said that there was nothing to do but comfort the chicken. Like you did it said to remove the chick from the rest and to pick it up every once and a while to make sure it is not losing weight. If it is lighter, than manually feed and give it water. It also said not to breed it with other birds.

 

[Lilorp14]

It seems to have stopped progerssing. Fingers crossed (no pun intended) it'll stay that way.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry about your chick, hopefully the crossing will not progress to much further, but there is always a chance it will. Since she is so young, likely the cause if genetics or possibly problems with incubation.

The only thing you can do is monitor her to see that she is eating/drinking well. Sometimes wet feed is easier to manage, so make that available along side her dry crumble. Here's some tips http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/scissor-beak-aka-crossed-beak-what-it/

As for breeding her, that would be up to you...but generally you would not want to breed any chickens that have a deformity.

 

[vivaciouswoman]

How is your bird doing?

 

[Lilorp14]

How is your bird doing?

Shes' doing ok. Its gotton very bad, to where her lower beak is at a 90 degree angle, but she has a great will to survive so we've let her live. She's the brood mother for all the chicks I hatch out, and she's great with them, even though she's never been broody

 

[vivaciouswoman]

Shes' doing ok. Its gotton very bad, to where her lower beak is at a 90 degree angle, but she has a great will to survive so we've let her live. She's the brood mother for all the chicks I hatch out, and she's great with them, even though she's never been broody

That's very cool! Thanks for the update! Post a picture? I'd like to see how that beak looks!