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

[BullChick]

When is it time to give up? Cadburry seems to be losing weight... At least not putting it on as she grows. She is about four-months-old, and still has growing to do. I plan on putting her in with the chicks after a few weeks, and trying to give her more TLC. I am just not sure when (or if) to give up.

 

[Nimby Chickens]

Don't give up!

Get Cadburry her own feeder, or better yet just put her in the food bag by herself for a while.

You could also tube feed. Keep the faith! Cadburry just needs a little help!

 

[scootertiki]

So this is how Minni acts all day (see pic)....sleeping, standing up trying to keep her balance.

Is that a bad sign? I've yet to see Minni drink on her own. I've syringe fed her three times a day and she did poop today,so that's good right?

I don't want to prolong her suffering and don't want her to starve to death.

I'm worried that trimming/dremeling beak is not going to help because its so severe. It crosses so high up that her lil tongue is exposed part way. And the top beak really curves way down. Is this a loss cause? I don't know if she gets ANYTHING when she tries to eat on her own.

:-(

 

[All Henned Up]

I posted a pic of Crook our ameracana cross beak. pg15 post #146

I wanted to add we let him feed in the feed storage can now. (thanks to another poster)
The deep food is easy for him to scoop up, After 1/2 hour his crop is full, you can feel and see it.
He use to waste a lot of food from the feeders trying to feed and never got full.

The cat food has a lot of protein, was recommended for sick or dilapidated chickens.
He eats about a 1/3 of a can per day to supplement his diet.

Oh yea he is a she.

I really think that deep food is the secret.

 

[scootertiki]

Kim & Steve, I don't see a pic of Crook? Good idea on the cat food, I will try that for Minni if she will try at least to eat on her own.

 

[maggie326]

I had previously posted my own thread about this and someone directed me to this thread, so glad to see other people going through the same thing as I am!


I'm a first time chicken raiser, my Grandpa has had chickens on and off for years but this is a first for me. I have what are supposed to be 4 gold sexlink hens but it appears that 2 of them maybe reds....anyways!

Right around 10 weeks one of my girls developed crooked beak almost over night, she seems to be eating and drinking and is super friendly. She already has two deep dish food bowls to eat from and I wet some of her chick feed the other day and gave it to her while the rest of the girls were out in the run. For now I'm playing it by ear to see if I need to and how I might change her feeding routine if necessary. Hoping she can maintain eating with the rest of the girls the way she has been..

It's so great to see you all trying a variety of methods to keep your cross beaks happy and healthy. Roxanne is the sweetest out of the bunch and likes to be petted while she is eating her food which she loves to make a humongous mess with!


I tried to get some pictures of them, it's raining so they aren't exactly thrilled at the moment

And yes that is food under their feet in the next picture, they decided to make a mess since they can't get out today



Scarlett wanted a close up If you look at the chicken to her right that is one I suspect is a gold because she is at least two shades lighter then Scarlett and Roxanne

 

[maggie326]

I would start her off maybe supplement twice a day and see how she does and if you notice she isn't gaining after a bit, then increase it to 3 times. Yes, I call the chick feed moistened in water the mash. Yes, you can get powdered vitamins at the feed store or you can also use the Poly-Vi-Sol infant drops. Just be sure it is the ones that do NOT contain iron in it.

When you go to the feed store and ask for powdered vitamins for the chickens will they know what I am talking about?

Also question to everyone else, my girls are roughly 11 weeks I read somewhere that the cross beak won't get any worse once they reach 18 weeks of age, is that actually the case?

And should I always keep her on chick feed or is it ok to switch her to layer feed when the rest of them all catch up (my gold colored girls aren't fully feathered yet even though I got them all at the same time) so I haven't switched them from chick feed yet

 

[NewToFarming]

Maggie, all your girls are gorgeous! I loved the pictures!

They should know. When I get mine, I just ask for the vitamins & electrolytes and they know what I mean. You could switch your girl to layer with the rest of the girls. If you notice a decline, maybe add eggs to the mash for extra protein. She will need the additional calcium for when she starts to lay.
I did not notice at what age the beak stop getting worse but you might always have to trim it because it keeps growing.

 

[maggie326]

Thank you! They are some pretty little girls!

I was just telling my mom they have all gotten relatively tame and like to be petted now when I give them food at night when they are in their coop, I think they have been watching the dogs and cats too much (lol)

I'll try going over there tomorrow and asking for the vitamins to add. I gave her the wet mash tonight and she came down to the bottom of the coop, ate it by herself for a bit then when back with the other girls to their roost for the night, so hopefully thats a good sign. It's so strange that with her it didn't show up until she was like 9/10 weeks old and seems like most people on here it shows up right at birth...my mom happened to be house sitting when it was discovered and it freaked her out thinking that Roxanne had broken her beak since it had essentially shown up over night!

Thank you again for the advice!

 

[BullChick]

No, the cross beak (to my understanding) rarely shows up at birth. Cadburry didn't show up until she was 10- weeks- old. At first, it was slight, and I thought I was wrong. Then it became apparent after about two weeks. A few days ago I was devastated to discover that it wasn't the top beak as I thought. She was sitting still, waiting for me to feed her, and I took a picture. When I looked at the photo, and back at her I saw for the first time just how bad her beak has gotten, and that it is the bottom beak. I am going to step up my feedings, and try harder with her. She is four months now. If she can make it this long, I have to keep helping her fight. She is only half the size of the others, but she is still energetic. Who knows? Maybe she will make it until winter. Then I get to figure out what to do with her at night. Bring her in the house, or keep her outside (separate) with the heat lamp to keep her warm.