Deformed beak not sure what to do

[MBBH]

How high maintenance she'll be will depend on the severity of her deformity. For now, I think you should just focus on making sure she's getting a full crop and able to drink. If you can keep track of her weight, that'd be helpful, too, since a full crop doesn't always indicate she's developing as she should.

If you find she is struggling to eat crumble, you can always make her a mash by adding some water to the feed and soaking it for a bit. You may have to play with the consistency and thickness some, but it's really a small consideration.

I’ll definitely keep a close eye on her. Thank you so much

 

[mangotangolango]

Do you a have photo of Hoppy? I love seeing other crossbeaks.

ill try

 

[mangotangolango]

Do you a have photo of Hoppy? I love seeing other crossbeaks.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Best wishes for this little chick!

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

@mangotangolango She's so cute! Thank you for sharing.

 

[sammyjw10]

Thank you for the photo.

Crossbeak is caused by a deformity of the skull and it can effect either the mandible, the maxilla, or both. Sadly, there's nothing you can do to correct it and it will continue to shift until the bird reaches 5 or 6 months of age. So your chick has a few more months to go before the skull sets and the extent of the deformity is known.

Trimming isn't recommended at such a young age because there isn't much to trim so you'll hit the quick - as you did. We've all been there so don't feel too bad about it.

Here's my CB Roo at a few days old.

View attachment 2684967

Here he is two+ years later. (He is able to feed himself mash so he's always a bit crusty.)
View attachment 2684971

His mandible is obviously impacted, but his maxilla curves down, like a parrot's, which is what I think you're looking at with your chick as well. Another common thing is 'tongue collapse' where the muscles holding the tongue in place weaken and cause the tongue to sit kind of in the throat. That happened with my guy.

Is your chick able to eat and drink without issue? Have you checked her crop after she eats?

Can he open his mouth? I have a chick that just hatched yesterday with a severely crossed beak and it doesn’t seem to be able to open its beak. I am willing to help it however I can and do not mind having a special needs chick.

 

[sammyjw10]

Thank you for the photo.

Crossbeak is caused by a deformity of the skull and it can effect either the mandible, the maxilla, or both. Sadly, there's nothing you can do to correct it and it will continue to shift until the bird reaches 5 or 6 months of age. So your chick has a few more months to go before the skull sets and the extent of the deformity is known.

Trimming isn't recommended at such a young age because there isn't much to trim so you'll hit the quick - as you did. We've all been there so don't feel too bad about it.

Here's my CB Roo at a few days old.

View attachment 2684967

Here he is two+ years later. (He is able to feed himself mash so he's always a bit crusty.)
View attachment 2684971

His mandible is obviously impacted, but his maxilla curves down, like a parrot's, which is what I think you're looking at with your chick as well. Another common thing is 'tongue collapse' where the muscles holding the tongue in place weaken and cause the tongue to sit kind of in the throat. That happened with my guy.

Is your chick able to eat and drink without issue? Have you checked her crop after she eats?

Can he open his mouth? I have a chick that just hatched yesterday with a severely crossed beak and it doesn’t seem to be able to open its beak. I am willing to help it however I can and do not mind having a special needs chick.

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

Can he open his mouth? I have a chick that just hatched yesterday with a severely crossed beak and it doesn’t seem to be able to open its beak. I am willing to help it however I can and do not mind having a special needs chick.

Yes, my guy can open his mouth and he has a lot to say. If you can upload a photo or video (via Youtube), that'd be super helpful in assessing what's going on with your chick