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

[laurenh]

I have a day old Call duck chick - it has a very slight cross beak and cleft - it seems to be struggling to eat the chick crumbs (maybe they are too big?!) I don't want to tube feed/syringe it at the moment as it is trying to eat, what can I give it to make it easier? Maybe yoghurt??
Any suggestions greatly appreciated!

 

[BullChick]

Wetting the food is a good start. Try that, and tell us how it goes.

 

[laurenh]

I've soaked the crumb to make a kind of porridge and it seems to like that so I'll see what progress it makes from now on. It is a little fighter so I think it's going to be OK!

 

[elliechooks]

This little guy hatched yesterday, I had to help it a lot as its little beak was just not breaking the shell properly. We have decided that as long as it can eat and drink independently we will keep it. I have not seen it eat or drink yet, but it is early days yet. The others that hatched the day before have only just started.
It has a crossed beak and misshapen head, and it appears to have no eye on one side.

 

[laurenh]

Does anyone know whether feeding them raw egg/egg yolk/hard boiled egg is a good or bad idea??? Im just looking for something yummy to tempt it to eat!!

 

[BullChick]

Raw egg or cooked is fine. Boiled eggs are easier to pick up.

 

[wildriverswolf90]

Well my little cross beak eye missing chick is now 9 Days old. He has managed to eat, drink and thrive with minimal help from me, still I watch him closely. He has stolen my heart. He is affectionately named Popeye. He is growing nearly as fast as the other chicks, I put him back in the main brooder with his 30 'brothers and sisters' and he is able to stand his own against them, he is certianly able to get his fill of food. I keep on dish with moist starter in it and a trough feeder with dry feed. and he gets a raw egg yolk every evening, I'm so glad he has managed to thrive thus far.

 

[NookNook01]

Well my Gold Laced Polish Roo we affectionately call Twist, has become a very handsome boy. He seems to be thriving and even has his own fan club amongst the girls. He's around 4 months old and one of 3 boys in my little flock....it's wonderful that they all seem to get along. Seems my earlier worry about his survival was a waste of energy....best wishes for all the little "Twists" out there!!!

 

[BullChick]

Well my Gold Laced Polish Roo we affectionately call Twist, has become a very handsome boy. He seems to be thriving and even has his own fan club amongst the girls. He's around 4 months old and one of 3 boys in my little flock....it's wonderful that they all seem to get along. Seems my earlier worry about his survival was a waste of energy....best wishes for all the little "Twists" out there!!!

He is nice looking.
That coop looks like mine. Is it the one from TSC that costs aprx $200 (or $300 @ Wal Mart)? Mine was used once for about two months, and is only 4 months old. Even covered by a tarp, the thing is falling apart like cardboard. Are you having problems?

 

[NookNook01]

Thanx!! Oops I forgot the mini coop was in that photo. I got that from CConly website(holding up great), I used it with my first 6 Chooks last year and used it this spring as a grow out coop for 2 chick groupings this spring.

This is a pic of the new coop. We just finished the run this summer.... The original 6 Chooks spent a loooong winter all cooped up when the snow blew, they REALLY hated the snow. Haaaa
We're still working on pleasing everyone in the flock, seems the Chooks don't agree with my ideas of what would be fun, convenient and comfortable. Haaa