Diary of a Crossbeak: Support for Special Needs Chickens and their Keepers

[NewToFarming]

Oh no, not spoon feeding forever but maybe mash forever to ensure good nutrition. I just do the spoon trick when they are little chicks to get them eating and get stronger. When they are older and stronger I use deep bowls for mash & feed. Once they are older I added grit to the mash to be sure they get that as well. In the picture I posted of my younger girl Betty. Hers, is pretty severe and the only thing I do is give her the mash, knockout & feed in deep dishes.

The last couple of days weren't bad, low to mid 80's but about a week ago it was high 90's with a heat index over 100. They said it is supposed to get hot again soon.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Oh no, not spoon feeding forever but maybe mash forever to ensure good nutrition. I just do the spoon trick when they are little chicks to get them eating and get stronger. When they are older and stronger I use deep bowls for mash & feed. Once they are older I added grit to the mash to be sure they get that as well. In the picture I posted of my younger girl Betty. Hers, is pretty severe and the only thing I do is give her the mash, knockout & feed in deep dishes.

The last couple of days weren't bad, low to mid 80's but about a week ago it was high 90's with a heat index over 100. They said it is supposed to get hot again soon.

Our weather is about the same here. 88-90 today and in low 90s for the weekend.

Hopefully Walter will be able to continue on his own. He is one of my biggest right now (almost 8 weeks) and is trying to be the dominate. We haven't had a roo at all. We did pullet chain with 4-h last year and just had girls. We did a hatch in April with 4 new breeds and of our Favs we had 12 of 15 hatch and 6 girls, 6 boys. crazy. We have to thin out a few. I will be looking to sell off soon. Walter will stay since he is "special".

 

[For the birds]

I was wondering if cross beaks always continually get worse, or some stay just slightly crooked. I just received my chicks yesterday and one of the day old Buff Polish Pullets is already showing a slight uneveness of the beak. Thank you!

 

[For the birds]

What did your birds look like as chicks? I'm just worried for my bird she has a very slight cross at 6 weeks of age but i noticed it after a few days old or maybe a week! I just want to see if others started out slight and after 6 weeks it is still slight! I'm worried not because the care of a crossbeak, I'd do that willingly, but because hubby won't allow it

I already posted a picture but this one is a little better

Just curious how your cross beak is turning out. I just received my chicks yesterday and one of the day olds is already showing a slight uneveness of the beak and I, too, was wondering if they continually get worse, or some stay just slightly crooked. Thank you!

 

[For the birds]

I wouldn't worry too much about him, Puddin. If he was going to have problems, he probably already would. My main flock rooster has a slightly twisted head much like yours and he is a year and a half old and never had any issues. He is mostly free range.

Thought I would post a pic of the "ugliest" chick ever: my man Spaz, he is going through Chick-a-saurus stages right now so he is even funnier looking, but seems to be pretty healthy and feisty. He is pretty messy when he eats.

This little guy looks like a jim hensens muppet! Super cute, in his own way

 

[For the birds]

I have 2 crossbeaks here. The oldest is a silkie named Kriss Kross and the youngest is Betty who is a silkie/brown leghorn mix. Kriss is 1 1/2 years old now and is doing great. No smaller than any of the other silkies. She has raised many clutches of chicks and did well through the broody period and raising the chicks.
Betty is now 10 months old and just hatched her first chicks and is a great momma and worries about all her chicks. Betty has a more severe crossbeak than Kriss.
I do make a mash twice a day with added vitamins and I also add chick grit and some larger grit into the mash. They cannot pick up the grit and adding it to the mash ensures they get grit. I also offer dry feed and a nutritious scratch called knockout. The knockout has larger pieces they can pick up and has 12 different grains plus protein pellets. I guess it is more like a game bird feed. Well, Betty found out if she hops the fence and goes into the shed, there is a huge feed tub she can climb right in and eat to her hearts content. I have a feeling once the chicks are old enough, all of them will be in the tub! I let her go because I think it is easier for her to get enough to eat.
They both do well within the flock and I do make mash for the entire flock. They think it is the greatest treat in the world!
I trim Kriss's beak with the pedipaws and she doesn't mind it at all. Betty kept hers down with foraging fairly well but needs trimmed with being broody. I will have to wait a bit before attempting it with her because she is still in the pshyco broody stage right now.
I have been told there are more than one reason for the crossbeaks. It could be genetic, incubation problems and if the chick pecks on something hard within the first 48 hours of life can cause a misalignment because their beaks are soft during this time.
So far, mine are thriving and doing well and leading a normal chicken life!

Kriss



Betty

That silkie is so cute with all her little ones!!! Cutest pic ever!

 

[NewToFarming]

That silkie is so cute with all her little ones!!! Cutest pic ever!

Thank you! She loves being a momma and she had 9 chicks in that picture which was her largest clutch.

With my 2 crossbeaks, I did not see it get any worse after about 4 months old. It seemed to stay the same at that point on. Their beaks get longer but I didn't notice any worsening of the misalignment.

 

[Shianne]

Oh my, love all the chickie pictures!

I have some questions, if anyone can provide any answers that be great.
How many times a day do you feed your 'special' ones? Which brand or type of yogurt is better or does it matter? Should I first start with mixing the chick food with water before I try yogurt? Or should I let her just continue to eat dry regular chick food? I know she gets some because we feed them in deep dish bowls and I watch her eat, but she is lighter than the other polish hen we have that is the same age as her. I just want to make sure she gets what she needs. Thanks for any help

 

[NewToFarming]

How old is you special girl? My adults have access to dry feed all the time and I give the mash twice a day. But if she is fairly young then I would feed more often. I would say if she is smaller than your other girl then she might not be getting quite enough. I just mix the chick feed with water and vitamins even when they were young and added the yogurt as a treat maybe once or twice a week.
Hope this helps!

 

[Shianne]

Thank you. She is about 2 1/2 months right now. We leave the chick starter feed out for them all day. What kinds of vitamins, do I just go ask the feed store here for chicken vitamins? When you say mash food do you mean just chick food with water? Sorry for all the questions!