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

[Avion211]

I have a frizzle black cochin bantam that started showing cross/scissor beak at 3-4 days of age. It's a week old today and its gotten quite a bit worse.


Wish there is something I could do for it. It seems to be healthy though and does eat and drink. I do wet the chicks food and a give this one some extra water with an eye dropper a few times a day.

 

[brittfish]

She was keeping up with her sister that we got at the same time, but the past couple of days I have noticed her falling behind in size.

My cross beak seemed to be behind in growing as we adjusted to how she has to eat. We made mash and put it in with all of the chicks and they all loved it so I don't think she got enough. Eventually we fed her alone and she had a huge growth spurt her comb is the largest of the ameracauna hens. She is probably 2/3 their size now as an adult. She's awesome though we just love her and alet hough we were sad at first we are so happy we have our little crossbeak. What a character! She stays in pretty much exclusively now unless we force her outside in the yard with us (mean people huh?) if you ask her she is a house chicken thank you very much!

 

[Wyleiria]

Probably won't be able to eat dry food at least my cross beak can't. I just mix water and layer crumbles to make an oatmeal like consistency and she has taught herself to scoop it with her top beak and uses her neck to get it down her throat. Her beak started shifting at 6 days old and now her bottom beak is perpendicular to her top. We started the moist food when she was little and didn't get enough to eat I don't think until we started feeding her separate because everyone loves the mash. Now.. well.. she lives inside and will be turning 1 next week. She's very healthy and I'm pretty sure the most spoiled chicken ever. She loves her flock of people, cats and her dog. Doesn't get along with the chicken flock anymore but it's okay we love having a house chicken although she is a lot of work. Totally worth it. We fed her chick starter then grower until she started laying eggs now it's layer feed. And a square baking dish that we use for her water dish. Good luck. I know you will love having a pet chicken she is so bonded to us.

Wow thanks for this response! The lady at the feed store said the chick was eating and drinking fine, and I have a soft heart for the special needs ones. However, I think if it go to the point of not being able to eat without tube feeding, then it becomes a QOL factor and I wouldn't want to do that. I feed my chickens wet mash sometimes so this will not be an issue if it comes down to it. She has had a full crop since she came home with me and ate without competing with 20 other chicks. Yay!

 

[brittfish]

well hate to think you'd cull him, might be able to rehome him? i run the crossbeak group on facebook, people are always wanting them for pets- on trimming the beak,  i file my crossbeaks beaks- when it becomes an eating issue

I agree. If you can get him to adult size he should do fine. If you can get past the poop they really end up making wonderful pets we adore our hen.

 

[BullChick]

I am going to admit up front that I have not gone back far enough to get the whole stories. I am going to leave the following notes, and you can do with them what you want.

I began fermenting feed because of my cross beak. The others kept calling her back to the coop when I fed her separate wet food. It was so much easier giving everyone fermented feed, and knowing she could eat when she wanted since I kept it full all day.
FF also gives the cross beak guaranteed water consumption.
Deep waterers and feed dishes make it easier for them.
A cross beak at hatch is a genetic problem. Never let them breed. The person that had a cross beak and twisted leg should never use the eggs from that/those hen(s) again.
A cross beak needs to be trimmed or files with dog nail clippers or a dremil tool/pedi paws.

Okay, those are my thoughts.

 

[Lobzi]

I have 1 with a slight cross beak. She doesn't gain weight as well with the general population, but she was lonely the last time I separated her. She does eat and drink but doesn't always get the same amount of food b/c she is pushed away. Not sure what to do.

When I had a little runt in a family of four I used to let her spend the day with her feathered family but every morning I would bring her in for some extra nutrition and attention from me. Sweetie was killed by a raccoon one night but before that she grew up to be the same size as her sibs and was doing just as well. She was not a crossbeak but for some reason she was behind the others in growth.

Try some extra nutrition once or even twice a day with her but do let her spend the majority of the time with her feathered friends. That is my recommendation.

 

[Lobzi]

Oh that is great. I hope her deformity is corrected by the bands. I have a young quail who hatched with a deformed head and crossed beak, no eye showing one one side and it is thriving. Im so surprised. I thought it would die but it hangs with the best of them.

 

[Lobzi]

Cross beak is quite survivable. I have had a few with it myself. I will say that because of the beak deformity they do struggle to get enough nutrition. If you focus on getting her plenty of healthy food she will do a well as any other chicken. If she joins a flock it will be harder for her to nurish herself. I do find that they lose weight or fail to thrive as the others. I have also found that they die sooner than expected. Just keep up the personal care with her, that is my advice. And no, culling not an option.

 

[HelloChickies]

Yay for You, Featheredheart!!

I'm so glad you're going to nurture her!
She will bring you so much joy! I've never heard of surgical correction, because from what I've read, it's supposedly a malformation of the skull, that twists as the bird grows. But they can do so many amazing things with surgeries now, both human and animal... why not fix a crossbeak?? I can't wait to hear your adventure, if you decide to try it!
If she starts having trouble eating her crumbles as her beak gets worse, just make a wet 'oatmeal' out of it with water so she can scoop it up and it sticks to her beak. I also separate my little sweetie from the others with her own bowl so the others can't peck her off it. The other birds get their own bowl of wet 'chickie oatmeal' crumbles, too, because they all love it so much! LOL
I see from the pictures, she's inside sitting on the couch with you! Lucky girl! She looks like a real cutie pie. Good luck with her!
Jenn

 

[featheredheart]

I actually talked to my vet yesterday. His friend, the avian specialist in San Diego, says he does the surgery on parrots and other birds. Apparently, chickens don't have the same blood supply to their bones, or something to that effect, so it's prognostically no good in Esther's case. The guy did suggest gentle jaw manipulation paired with anti inflammatory pain medication due to her age. He said it may not align perfectly, but it may help her eat more normally. That's all I'm after!

In the mean time, I've started her on wet crumble mixed with organic whole milk baby yogurt and she's able to eat that more easily. I came home today, the bowl was empty, and her crop was full! And what's more? She's heavier!

She's my princess. As long as she's not in pain and has a good quality of life, I'm going to spoil and nurture and love on her. She stole my heart at first sight, there's nothing I wouldn't do to help her. She didn't ask for crossbeak, and she certainly didn't ask to be my chicken. I owe her the best life I can give her

@HelloChickies