De-beaking?

[TammyD]

Don't know what other category to post this in so....
What is the purpose of de-beaking a chicken? Do the beaks grow back? Are there residual issues (more prone to injury or illness after debeaking, etc) with debeaking? Thanks!

TammyD
NoCentral IL

 

[Wildsky]

De-Beaking is to prevent hens from picking at each other when in close confines......

Most I've read about don't grow back, sometimes you might get lucky and the beak will grow back.... that isn't the norm.

Some have difficulty eating after being de-beaked. I've read on here a case or two where the chicken had to be fed by hand.

 

[Josie]

From what I can understand, this is something some mass producers do, because they've overcrowded their birds. Here is a picture of an adult that had the procedure done:

 

[TammyD]

Is it detrimental to their overall health if NOT in an overcrowded situation? I'm considering buying some older pullets from McMurray but they've been de-beaked (they're also $10.95/each + shipping, so am looking for a more local & less $ source). Don't want to buy the chickens only to have to do weird things to keep them healthy. Does it impact their ability to eat &/or drink or breathe? I want to sell eggs @ this year's Farmer's Mkt w/my horse products so don't want to wait 5 months for chicks to mature to egg-laying age.

Thanks!
TammyD

 

[silkiechicken]

It is done very quckly and often not so carefully. They have harder times preening and often cannot eat bugs and goodies off the ground so live on layer rations they can gobble down. If they make it to age of you buying them, they can eat, but will be a bit left out when it comes to foraging.

 

[fallenweeble]

i say go for it!
you'll probably be giving them a more fun/enriched life than they currently have at the facility!
if they've made it to adult hood with their beaks as such i would figure that they are able to get enough groceries on board with the equipment the have. if they do have problems later down the line you could make a decision as to what is best for them . . . if you know what i mean.
if you do order them please post some pics when they arrive.

 

[NewHopePoultry]

I've gotten several roosters that had been de-beaked. They wouldnt go after the bugs and they appeared to eat differently then my other birds.

 

[TammyD]

Well, maybe I will. You're right about having it better here than at whatever "facility" McMurray has (never been there to see it). And, if it's an issue w/beaked birds picking on de-beaked birds, I could always separate them.

My high school son is going to help me build a chicken house. He's in FFA now & they're building a shed as part of their class so he should know how to do it. And, I can read directions & measure & cut & hammer as well as the next person, I suppose. It probably won't win the Parade of Homes but it'll comfortably house some chickens <g>.

I'll see if I can shedule shipment for May. That should give me ample time to prepare the proper abode for them.

Thanks, again!
TammyD

 

[seminolewind]

My hen, Clarisse, is debeaked. I make sure the water and food bowl are deeper, and she does fine. She free ranges now, I don't think she realizes that she's not getting what she's pecking at. She is big and plump and laying an egg almost every day.

 

[LindaN]

I got my 3 girls as pullets from McMurray Hatchery. Their beaks were trimmed when they arrived. Since I hadn't ordered them directly from McMurrary, I wasn't prepared for them arriving this way and was kind of stunned.

However, they seem to forage for themselves just fine. Yes, they do have trouble picking up food from a very flat surface, but they figure out ways around that.

I would have preferred that they not have had the procedure, but I love them just the same. They don't seem to know the difference, either.

If you're looking for a local source for chickens, check these boards and check sites like Craigslist. In the past 6 months, I've seen several posts on the Chicago Craigslist from folks offering to sell or rehome chickens or baby chicks.