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

[Undimere]

this is brilliant! my lil cross beak bantam Silkie has gotten thin but I didn't think about the calories she's using to stay warm in these cold nights, ty for the idea to bring her indoors

 

[Mac14]

I posted probably a couple months ago about my RIR or Production Red that has both top and bottom of her beak to one side. My concern is that since I have had her (got her at a week old) it has gotten worse and worse, and if someday she has trouble eating or something, I wouldn't have the time to try other foods or mash or whatever. At this point, she is pretty normal, but I fear that it might change. I not really sure what my point is here, maybe I just want reassurance. Oh well, there are no benefits of worrying over things that might not happen.

You can kind of see it here.

 

[BullChick]

I posted probably a couple months ago about my RIR or Production Red that has both top and bottom of her beak to one side. My concern is that since I have had her (got her at a week old) it has gotten worse and worse, and if someday she has trouble eating or something, I wouldn't have the time to try other foods or mash or whatever. At this point, she is pretty normal, but I fear that it might change. I not really sure what my point is here, maybe I just want reassurance. Oh well, there are no benefits of worrying over things that might not happen.

You can kind of see it here.

I get it. I am pretty sure we all do! That feeling of "can I handle it? What if I can't? Will it get better? Will it get worse? I don't think I can do this!!

"
One day at a time. Clip her beak every few weeks if/when you can. And look into FF (fermented feed) for the whole flock. Cadbury was fine outside all winter. I am sure it is thanks to a constant supply of mash. She stands in the middle of the bowl, and everyone eats around her. No more having to fly out of the coop to get her food when I had time throughout the day. Everyone eats the fermented feed, and I keep it full. She can go back for more all day.

 

[Lobzi]

I found that my little crossbeak guy does well with a large container turned on its side for feeding. He can actually climb inside to feed and that helps keep the others from taking over the food. Its kind of like him having a little house to feed in. If anyone is interested I will try to get some pics to post. I think it is pretty obvious how to provide this way of feeding though.

 

[Brookliner]

I want to try a rubber band, even tho it sounds like my chick will probably be able to get it off. I looked for orthodontics rubber bands at my local pharmacy today but wasn't able to find them. I can buy them online, but my chick's beak is a bit worse each day and time is of the essence.

I've also been wondering about super glue. If i could super glue a tiny rod or something to the right side of my chick's upper beak, it would keep the lower beak pushed into alignment. But if it was semi permanent, I'd have to make sure that she could eat. I think time is running out for this chick and if the rubber bands don't work, I may try rigging up some weird device with super glue.

If you have an orthodontist near where you live they would probably sell you a packet of rubber bands if you explained why you needed them.

 

[kukupecpec]

Hi there!

So I hope I'm not jinxing my little bird but when I helped him pip this afternoon I immediately jumped onto this thread to read about cross beaks.

I had a small batch of shipped BLRW eggs freeze in transit. I decided to see what came of it. In most nothing developed, one fully developed but died before hatching, and this last guy - I could see him moving inside his shell from candling and hear him peeping and tapping the shell inside last night. When he hadn't pipped on his own by this afternoon I decided to jump in. As soon as I got his shell open, I saw his severely crossed beak. I Thought he might die right away because he was bleeding, but it's been about 5 hours and he's still going. I got his shell off him but hes still connected at his butt and curled up in the bator. Now that I can see his head, his head is quite deformed. I think he may only have one eye. I guess I'm here to see what his chances are, and if I should cull him.
I am a Veterinary Assistant, in school for the Technician program, so I am totally comfortable with all that comes with a special needs pet, and am also comfortable with mercy culls. I am not as familiar with chickens as I would like to be, I'm still learning =) SO - I am wondering what you special chicken parents think - what are his chances? Should I cull him now? Wait and see what happens? Will it be any worse to cull him later if he just isn't making it?

Any help or thoughts would be great!!!!

 

[kukupecpec]

Here's some pictures of the little guy. He's still egg-fresh damp. In the first few you are looking at the side that looks like it's missing an eye. *please excuse my ugly purple nails - I let my little sister paint them last weekend and can't find any polish remover! lol










It's really hard to see in pictures, but the no-eye side of his head is a little caved in and pushed further back than the other - like if he HAS both eyes they aren't in the same place...



This side you can clearly see the eye, he hasn't opened it and it looks like it's really far forward, but maybe that's just because he's a lone hatcher, so I have nothing to compare him to.




So he's breathing, peeping, and kicking his butt shell away a little, but he's not trying to get up at all or opening his eye.

One last big question - he's still got a pretty significant butt-cord with a blubby bubble of goop at the end, do I need to do something with this? Should I tie it off like with a piece of floss really tight like we would with suture in the clinic for umbilical cords?





***Update - He is sitting up and stumbling around a little, but he's not super strong, doesn't hold his head up for more than a second or two then lays back down to rest. His eye is open, and he is peeping pretty vigorously! Those are all good signs right? lol
He is still attached to his shell with the cord though, and he's still quite damp looking, not really fluffing out like I think he should.

 

[coloradogal]

Here's some pictures of the little guy. He's still egg-fresh damp. In the first few you are looking at the side that looks like it's missing an eye. *please excuse my ugly purple nails - I let my little sister paint them last weekend and can't find any polish remover! lol










It's really hard to see in pictures, but the no-eye side of his head is a little caved in and pushed further back than the other - like if he HAS both eyes they aren't in the same place...



This side you can clearly see the eye, he hasn't opened it and it looks like it's really far forward, but maybe that's just because he's a lone hatcher, so I have nothing to compare him to.




So he's breathing, peeping, and kicking his butt shell away a little, but he's not trying to get up at all or opening his eye.

One last big question - he's still got a pretty significant butt-cord with a blubby bubble of goop at the end, do I need to do something with this? Should I tie it off like with a piece of floss really tight like we would with suture in the clinic for umbilical cords?





***Update - He is sitting up and stumbling around a little, but he's not super strong, doesn't hold his head up for more than a second or two then lays back down to rest. His eye is open, and he is peeping pretty vigorously! Those are all good signs right? lol
He is still attached to his shell with the cord though, and he's still quite damp looking, not really fluffing out like I think he should.

The cross beak is the greater concern. It's significant already right out of the shell so suspect it will get much worse. I have a cross beak now that is a month old and while they can function normally, they do need special assistance.

The dampness could not be perse dampness but sticky shell that is causing the feathers not to fluff out.

I always wait until the last moment to send them to their eternal sleep but I suspect this little one has too much going against it to make it without significant human intervention. Even then, it might not be enough.

Sorry. :'(

 

[kukupecpec]

The cross beak is the greater concern. It's significant already right out of the shell so suspect it will get much worse. I have a cross beak now that is a month old and while they can function normally, they do need special assistance.

The dampness could not be perse dampness but sticky shell that is causing the feathers not to fluff out.

I always wait until the last moment to send them to their eternal sleep but I suspect this little one has too much going against it to make it without significant human intervention. Even then, it might not be enough.

Sorry. :'(

Well he has made it this far! I thought for sure he would have croaked by now... so I'm trying to make preparations.

I had read from here that the cross beak just gets worse with age, really how much worse can it get? Most of the crossbeak pictures on here look like the top beak is twisted, but Bernard (as we have decided to call him so we can stop calling him "the deformed chick" lol) has a pretty straight top beak and super twisted bottom jaw.
I mean with the top beak I can see the curling over and down but where can the bottom jaw go?

I don't know if I mentioned it already, but he has a really soft skull. Is that normal for baby chicks in general, or is it because he's "special"?

I went out and bought two small jars of baby food, as I can't imagine I can grind up food small enough to feed him at this tiny stage. Is there anything in particular I should be feeding him? I got a high protein beef&veggies as well as a banana.

What should I do about housing? I have a couple 4 day old babies from the feed store that my husband bought me because we weren't expecting anything to hatch from his batch, and even though they are so close in age, he is quite small compared to them, and doesn't have as much control over movements. Will they hurt him? Does he need to be separated? Can he LIVE alone?
I use rabbit water bottles for all my baby chickens - how should I be giving him water? He can't really aim with his little beak so I don't know if he will be able to get any water from the bottle.

Here's a new picture, he's fluffing out a little, but he's still pretty sticky-ish. Can I give him a wash cloth bath to help un-stick his fluff and towel dry him?

 

[Nimby Chickens]

Bird (my crossbeak) has exactly the same deformity. She is one year old now! She's the inspiration to this thread.

There is GOOD NEWS! Your bird has a skull deformity, not a crossbeak. It will not get any worse than that. My Bird is doing well and is my favorite chicken ever. I have to trim her beak and feed her by herself, but she is otherwise very low maintenance.