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

[Justhatched]

You will need to make some changes in the way you feed her - deep bowls for food and wet mash works better because it's a little sticky. She will probably hang out a the feeder a lot. Extreme crossbeaks need tube feeding but she might not end up with one that bad. As chicks, generally they can swing it with little help but as they get older it worsens so you'll just have to wait and see. You probably wont want to use her for breeding since it could be genetic.

I would suggest handling her a lot at this age so that it will be easy to trim her beak and feed her in the future. Is she able to get a full crop by herself?

I have felt her crop a few times and have never felt it full. She is the first to run to the water/food when I refill it. She is so small. I don't feel like I could properly take care of her. I plan to rehome her as soon as I can.

 

[maralpz2006]

well i have one hen with a crossbreak, she is mottled houdan/turken,but she is not nn, she is 9 months,she is laying eggs,and she eats and drinks by herself but every two days i make sure that she is eating im gonna post a pic as soon i can

 

[Nimby Chickens]

Please do, can't wait to see her.

 

[jaymierp]

I have a handicapped Cochin splash. She was given to us and has spradled legs. She can't walk, her legs are really bad, but she can move around using her wings. She is such a sweet girl. She talks and gets excited to get any attention. We have had her almost a year and she was about 4 months old when we got her, so shes about 15 months old. She has a bantam polish that she lives with in their own pen away from the bigger hens and the rooster, but they can see each other and the hens like to drink out of their waterer by sticking their head through the fence. It is nice to know that others are caring for special need chickens. I wasn't sure if she would make it but she's done well so far. We make sure she has her own little food and water bowl near her at all times and we put her in and take her out of her little hutch every night. She flutters around on the ground during the day and if she is so inclined to get something she will work hard to get to it. I can't imagine ever not having her she is just the best pet!

 

[Nimby Chickens]

She sounds like a sweetheart! I'm so glad you gave her a chance. She sounds like Bird in the way she loves attention!

 

[MadabtChickens]

Thank you so much for posting this! I have a 2 week old EE with cross beak. I put 2 deep dishes in the brooder; one with mash and one with dry starter. Should I feed her separately from everybody else? I posted my questions on a chicken swap Facebook page I'm a member of and was told I'm being inhumane and selfish by trying to help her rather than culling her. I will post pictures in a bit. I'd also like to know if I should take her to get her beak trimmed or not.

My profile picture is her at a few days old.

 

[BirdyMe]

It's so great reading stories of people helping birds that need some extra TLC! All of the pictures of these birds are just gorgeous!

I searched for picture of my old EE crossbeaker, but couldn't find one. But here's this years special needs baby:



His name is Thaddeus. He's two weeks old now, and he's doing fine. He's the sweetest of the lot!

 

[koakritters]

This is Noah. He will be a year old on April 8! He is convinced that he is human, and loves to go on long car rides. The back seat is his and he can see out the window just fine, LOL!

He lived at home with me while "he" was a "she", and then when we decided to start crowing at 5am, he had to move out to the country since we can't have roosters where I live. I go feed him every day, twice a day. Right now he eats either baby food or raw eggs mixed with the chick mash and so far so good, although I'd love to get some more ideas on what to feed him to help him gain weight! We use the baby foods that have more calories in them, like the peas that have 100 calories/can or bananas that have 90cal/can.

I need to go get him now and give him a bath, because he too gets infested with lice, and i'm sitting here reading about others and now I feel really guilty that he hasn't gotten a bath in weeks and I know he has live on him... I'll post a bath-time pic when I get him back home! LOL.

Unfortunately it's raining and cold out, so I'll have to leave him inside under the heat lamp to warm up, and the bring him back to his home tonight...

 

[MadabtChickens]

Well, I tried to feed Leira with a deep dish of mash like I have been the past few days and she wasn't interested. I promised if she can't eat on her own then I will get her put down. Does anybody have any other ideas? I will try again in a few hours and if she doesn't eat then I will be calling the vet. I'm so frustrated! She was the chick I picked out as my own. Before her I had picked a silkie chick. She sadly passed away at 10 days old. I am not claiming anymore chickens as my own. Anyway, here are some pictures I just took.

 

[2dogs1cat]

I have a chick who is 9 weeks old (approx) and I just noticed her cross beak issue *sigh* She claimed the food bowl as her own tonight, standing in the middle of it. I have 4 layers and 5 chicks right now. I also work FT. Can I just make a pan of mash and let them all at it?