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

[brittfish]

Thanks. Cinnamon's bottom beak is perpendicular to her top and never interferes with eating (or hasnt yet...knock on wood) but does get quite messy. We did clip it successfully though a little with guillotine style dog nail clippers. I worry about it getting so long but seems to be alright for now.

 

[ChickenMama143]

Hey ya'll,
I'm new to the boards and to backyard chicken keeping. We lived on my inlaws farm for about 2.5 years earlier in our marriage and decided back in June to start a little flock of our own. One of our Araucanas has a pretty back scissor/cross-beak. Her name is Bossy and she's our favorite, her personality has been center stage since we brought her home. She's a gray/lavender color, super sassy and funny. I started putting out a bunch of deep/wide dishes with wet chicken starter for her and a deeper dish for water. She seems OK, she's so much smaller than the others though (we have a mixed flock). She spends most of her free-range time eating and doesn't get much time for much else. I think we are doing all that we can, the others don't seem to pick on her, other than occasionally sitting on her when they roost. I tried giving her plain greek yogurt mixed with chicken starter but she wasn't a fan.
Thanks for the support.


~Momma to a grown man (hubby), a sweet farmer boy, a sassy dirt loving girl, 2 Golden Comets, 2 Araucanas, and 2 Speckled Sussex (down to 1 now ), 2 Boston Terriers, and 2 Betta Fish. ~

 

[generaldsherman]

To cross-beak lovers in Arizona: I have one that needs a home. I am a single school teacher, and I have no time to take care of her special needs. I don't want to put her down, and I don't think she'll do well on her own. She is a 14 week old Easter Egger. If you live anywhere near Globe, AZ or Tucson, PM me and I'll arrange a way to drop her off/for you to pick her up.
(Kudos to anyone who has the time for your special girls; somebody help this one!)

 

[artsyrobin]

Hey ya'll,
I'm new to the boards and to backyard chicken keeping. We lived on my inlaws farm for about 2.5 years earlier in our marriage and decided back in June to start a little flock of our own. One of our Araucanas has a pretty back scissor/cross-beak. Her name is Bossy and she's our favorite, her personality has been center stage since we brought her home. She's a gray/lavender color, super sassy and funny. I started putting out a bunch of deep/wide dishes with wet chicken starter for her and a deeper dish for water. She seems OK, she's so much smaller than the others though (we have a mixed flock). She spends most of her free-range time eating and doesn't get much time for much else. I think we are doing all that we can, the others don't seem to pick on her, other than occasionally sitting on her when they roost. I tried giving her plain greek yogurt mixed with chicken starter but she wasn't a fan.
Thanks for the support.


~Momma to a grown man (hubby), a sweet farmer boy, a sassy dirt loving girl, 2 Golden Comets, 2 Araucanas, and 2 Speckled Sussex (down to 1 now ), 2 Boston Terriers, and 2 Betta Fish. ~

you can add cornmeal to the feed to add more calories for her, bt it sounds like you are doing well with her

 

[shawnellabella]

To cross-beak lovers in Arizona: I have one that needs a home. I am a single school teacher, and I have no time to take care of her special needs. I don't want to put her down, and I don't think she'll do well on her own. She is a 14 week old Easter Egger. If you live anywhere near Globe, AZ or Tucson, PM me and I'll arrange a way to drop her off/for you to pick her up. (Kudos to anyone who has the time for your special girls; somebody help this one!)

I could take her if there was some sort of chicken train to get her to me

 

[ChickenMama143]

Thank you! She ended up eating the mash with Greek yogurt after all. I got pellets, which she is not doing well with but the others are fine with so I'm going to pick up another bag of crumbles for her.

 

[kukupecpec]

FowlOween Scavenger Hunt is here for anyone interested in winning
adiaper or accessory for your crossbeak!

Go to www.SewSammi.com
Or click on the FowlOween album in my signature for the hunt list =D

 

[HenHoneyGirl]

I have a cross beaked Plymouth RockxEE rooster I was thinking it might help to clip his long lower mandible but I want to make sure to do it properly. Any tips? He's eating fine right now as I feed my flock wet fermented feed and I'll probably slaughter him as soon as he gets fully grown so as not to get his probable genetic issue passed on.

 

[artsyrobin]

I have a cross beaked Plymouth RockxEE rooster I was thinking it might help to clip his long lower mandible but I want to make sure to do it properly. Any tips? He's eating fine right now as I feed my flock wet fermented feed and I'll probably slaughter him as soon as he gets fully grown so as not to get his probable genetic issue passed on.

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

 

[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.