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

[BullChick]

I hate to say it, but the bubbles make me laugh.

 

[Nimby Chickens]

I hate to say it, but the bubbles make me laugh.

Do they make pooty noises? Lol!

 

[Maligator]

Here is my crossbeak Quasimodo, a silkie/sizzle.


This was when she was a bit younger but her face is much more curved now. I have been filing it down frequently, attempting to shape it as I go to keep it from getting horribly twisted. So far she has been able to keep up with her flock mates just fine, eating and pecking like an ordinary chicken. I still leave a tub that she can climb into but she eats out of the regular feeder just fine.

 

[Mac14]

Here is my crossbeak Quasimodo, a silkie/sizzle.


This was when she was a bit younger but her face is much more curved now. I have been filing it down frequently, attempting to shape it as I go to keep it from getting horribly twisted. So far she has been able to keep up with her flock mates just fine, eating and pecking like an ordinary chicken. I still leave a tub that she can climb into but she eats out of the regular feeder just fine.

Yours reminds me of mine! She eats and drinks totally fine, thank goodness! She is a RIR and her name is Pepper.



She looks like she is always suspicious of something. Haha!

 

[Lobzi]

Has anyone had experience with cross beak development after the chicken become ill? I have two roos, one just died, who I swear was totally normal in the beak area until months after they came down with leg issues and breathing problems. They both started getting a bit of an offset to their beaks....perhaps due to the paralysis issues running up their body. Anyway, Im just wondering if anyone else noted such in any of their birds. It is quite a mystery.

 

[robinwiththechickens]

Feed to the entire flock. Depending on your flock size, put 2 day's worth of dry food in a bucket (or jar if you have a few chicks) add enough water to cover the feed, and then an inch or two. Add a glug (1/4 cup) of Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar with mother. It is sold by Heinz, Braggs and other companies in most stores. Stir. Warm water speeds up the process.
The first time takes about a day to ferment. After that it is about six hours. Stir twice a day. Add feed and water (no more ACV) daily. Most chickens take to it immediately. They will begin eating less food (saving $$) after about a month.
This will add healthy weight/size.

I tried this, and my feed didn't ferment...there was no bubbling or frothiness like the picture. When I tried to give it to the girls they didn't like it. What did I do wrong? I used laying mash covered in drinking water with a dash of Braggs ACV thrown in and let it sit for 24 hours only stirring twice.

 

[Lobzi]

I had a discussion with a friend regarding the possible causes of crossbeak. In my reading I understand it is the growing fetus's orientation in the egg that results in the deformation of the skull. Given that this might be a cause, do any of you think that the egg shape might then be a possible cause of the other than optimal orientation of the developing fetus? I get some eggs from my hens that are very long and narrow. Could such shell shape limit developing fetal orientation and therefore be a cause of crossbeak babies?
Just a thought and I like to hear what others think? If this is so perhaps a preventative measure might be to not brood such long, narrow eggs.

 

[BullChick]

Quote:
Huh. I have no idea. The only thing that could even be wrong is not enough water to get the feed wet enough. I am sure it is warm enough there! (if you go to the Flying J in your area, say hi to my DH's cousin, Darla).
I am seriously stumped. And the chickens not liking it? It may take a few days, but they usually are excited thinking it is a treat, and love the idea of wet feed.

 

[BullChick]

I had a discussion with a friend regarding the possible causes of crossbeak. In my reading I understand it is the growing fetus's orientation in the egg that results in the deformation of the skull. Given that this might be a cause, do any of you think that the egg shape might then be a possible cause of the other than optimal orientation of the developing fetus? I get some eggs from my hens that are very long and narrow. Could such shell shape limit developing fetal orientation and therefore be a cause of crossbeak babies?
Just a thought and I like to hear what others think? If this is so perhaps a preventative measure might be to not brood such long, narrow eggs.

I have heard not to EVER hatch eggs that are odd shaped, too big, or too small (pullet eggs). Eggs that are too large for the hen are double and triple yolks. That sounds exciting, but is majoratively fatal. Too small (a pullet's first few eggs) and the chick won't have room to grow.
One cause of a cross beak is the chick not tucking its head under its wing in the egg. Another thought is that the chick pecked something hard in its first few weeks of life. And then there is genetics. If a chick is born with a cross beak, you are not supposed to hatch those eggs. I hadn't even thought about not hatching Cadbury's eggs until now. She wasn't born with a cross beak, but I shouldn't take the chance.
And that is what I think of this subject.

 

[Chickiepoo23]

I have been checking this website for a ton of information ever since our new peeps arrived. Thank you to those who wrote about wry neck (currently treating a silkie) and splay leg (sadly it wasn't splay leg but major leg deformity) and now... I have a faverolle peep that I thought was just a mucky eater until I really picked her up and examined her closely. Her top beak is shorter than her lower beak and it looks like there might be a slight cross keeping her from properly closing her beak. With her mouth "closed" there is still a gap allowing me to see through to the other side.

The big problem and the one that worries me is that she isn't just a mucky eater... the food never seems to clear her mouth but is packed into her beak. I carefully removed all the food, but am worried that it is just going to happen again. I did check to see if she had a sour smell in her mouth and didn't smell anything rotten. She is CONSTANTLY at the food dish pecking away and yet so never seems to be full.

She is currently 3/4 the size of her faverolle sister and needs to put on some weight. I am hoping that since we are about to transition from started to grower that the slightly larger food may be more easily consumed.

If anyone has suggests on how to keep her beak clear and get the food in her, I would appreciate it. Thoughts?

Update since I posted this thread on the Emergencies/Injuries/ Cures: Last night I cleaned her up again and said good night. This morning I came to check on her and treat my wry neck and discovered she now looks like she got punched in the eye. I suspect to was rubbing against the partition in the feeder. I've cleaned her up again and isolated her in her own little box with food and water so none of the other peeps will peck at her eye. She is NOT pleased about the separation. I also gave her some of the vit concoction I am feeding my wry neck because I don't think food is getting in her.

Now, I need help with:
Should I treat her for a possibly impacted crop?
Should I trim her beak in hopes that it will close properly?
And what is best to use on a swollen eye?
Finally, still looking for thoughts on how to keep her beak from being completely filled.


Thank you in advance from a tired overly protective Mother Hen.