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

[sarahandbray]

Good news in my little Crossbeak story! I had an 8-week-old Crossbeak that started showing signs of being crossed at 2 weeks. I've been feeling her mash three times a day, bringing bread down for her and just keeping a close eye on her. Perfectly accepted in the flock. I was worried because I plan on breedin my chickens in the future and I don't want to breed her eggs. I took her to a poultry swap yesterday and a sweet mom/daughter combo fell in love with her-they have a 1.5 year old Crossbeak at home, so they know how to feed her properly.
I gave her to them for free and couldn't be happier! The 20-something year old daughter walked around the rest of the meet with her under her arm and it couldn't be cuter! She even shared her cinnamon muffin with her.

Makes me feel like that was a good outcome for this one

 

[cocoganger]

Well, about a week ago I discovered my shy, funny, pretty Rapunzel has a cross beak. When I first saw it, my stomach dropped. I remembered having seen something about cross beak throughout my research on chickens, and just knew it wasn't something you wanted to see. As I frantically researched more and more about it, I became so discouraged to see most people say to just cull, put them out of their misery, etc.

That seeed so unnecessary to me, when she's still doing just fine right now. I can't express how happy I was to find this thread, because it gave me so much really practical advice and made me realize that Rapunzel is just fine. I'll file her beak from time to time, I'll check her crop regularly, and if she gets to where she's not able to eat, I'll make feeding adjustments. I feel so much less overwhelmed, and like I can totally do this.

Plus, I feel really grateful that she didn't actually start to show a cross beak until she was probably 8 weeks or so. I have pictures of her around 6 or 7 weeks and her beak still looks normal. She's 10 weeks now, and still eats just fine. You can see her next to her other silkie pal, Mary Poppins and Rapunzel is actually a little bigger than Mary Poppins, who has a normal beak. So, anyway, thank you all for the boost of confidence! (oh, btw, I obviously don't know if R and MP are actually girls or boys- I'm just being optimistic)

 

[brittfish]

I have a 16 week old ameraucana with a cross beak. Her name is Cinnamon and she is amazing her bottom beak is at a 90 degree angle to her top beak. She started showing signs at 5 days old I was so upset but she seems to be doing well.. shes a little smaller than the other chickens but not by much. I feed her watered down chick grower twice daily and she eats for about an hour each time indoors making a huge mess but we don't mind. We started out giving her water with a syringe when her beak first started growing wrong and started the mash when she couldn't pick up food anymore. I cried several times over her watching her struggle to eat and contemplated euthanasia but my boyfriend talked me out of it wanting to give her a shot and man am I glad he did. Her tongue has grown almost in a circle to help get the food in and she fills her crop and it lasts her almost until the next feeding. We started with 3 to 4 feedings per day but she seems to be doing well with her routine.

I don't mix anything special in with her food. Thinking about grit but she can't pick up anything outdoors so not sure she needs it? Also the feathers below her beak get a little crusty sometimes I see the other chicks cleaning her and she seems to like it but not sure i should clean it doesn't seem uncomfortable to her and she's pretty sensitive about her beak area being handled.

 

[Lobzi]

I have a 16 week old ameraucana with a cross beak. Her name is Cinnamon and she is amazing her bottom beak is at a 90 degree angle to her top beak. She started showing signs at 5 days old I was so upset but she seems to be doing well.. shes a little smaller than the other chickens but not by much. I feed her watered down chick grower twice daily and she eats for about an hour each time indoors making a huge mess but we don't mind. We started out giving her water with a syringe when her beak first started growing wrong and started the mash when she couldn't pick up food anymore. I cried several times over her watching her struggle to eat and contemplated euthanasia but my boyfriend talked me out of it wanting to give her a shot and man am I glad he did. Her tongue has grown almost in a circle to help get the food in and she fills her crop and it lasts her almost until the next feeding. We started with 3 to 4 feedings per day but she seems to be doing well with her routine.

I don't mix anything special in with her food. Thinking about grit but she can't pick up anything outdoors so not sure she needs it? Also the feathers below her beak get a little crusty sometimes I see the other chicks cleaning her and she seems to like it but not sure i should clean it doesn't seem uncomfortable to her and she's pretty sensitive about her beak area being handled.

She looks like a sweetheart.
If she is laying eggs or near laying you might get some calcium supplement to add to her food. How does she do with preening herself? Make sure her bottom doesnt get poo build up if she cannot clean her feathers.

 

[estamets]

I came back from a 4-day trip and noticed that my 6-week old Olive Egger has a bit of a crook to her beak! The top half bends a little to her left, and the bottom half bends a little MORE to the left, so the tips don't quite match up and her whole face has a little wonkiness to it. You can see from the side how it doesn't close completely. I'm hoping it won't be too severe, since it showed up late. She's eating and drinking fine, and is near the top of the pecking order in the brooder. I'll keep an eye on it, but I don't anticipate needing to go to any great lengths to accommodate her needs; I'm grateful for that, since she's an amazing bird already!

Thanks for this thread- as many have commented, it's a great confidence builder and anxiety calmer.

 

[calichicken]

I came back from a 4-day trip and noticed that my 6-week old Olive Egger has a bit of a crook to her beak! The top half bends a little to her left, and the bottom half bends a little MORE to the left, so the tips don't quite match up and her whole face has a little wonkiness to it. You can see from the side how it doesn't close completely. I'm hoping it won't be too severe, since it showed up late. She's eating and drinking fine, and is near the top of the pecking order in the brooder. I'll keep an eye on it, but I don't anticipate needing to go to any great lengths to accommodate her needs; I'm grateful for that, since she's an amazing bird already!

Thanks for this thread- as many have commented, it's a great confidence builder and anxiety calmer.

Hi! Yes this thread helps calm just a bit as well as give good information about caring for chicks whos beaks are not formed correctly. I had a crossbeak quail hatch(affectionately named Beakers

) and at first I had to help with eating. But as beakers grew, he got the hang of it all. Your chick doesn't look very severe which is terrific so I would just continue monitoring the situation with eating, drinking, preening and growth. Mine was defiantly a runt but otherwise healthy and happy! Hope your baby continues to thrive and grow

 

[sarahandbray]

I've heard Olive Eggers and Ameracuanas are prone to beaks crossing.
Our Olive Egger did SO MUCH better with mash twice a day--just water and the regular chick feed mixed together. She could scoop it up since it stuck together. She could also eat bread with no problem on my lap--she'd make a mess and actually only get every 3rd or 4th bite, but the chicks down below were happy that way too.
A little extra love and time, and they do ok.

 

[estamets]

Hi! Yes this thread helps calm just a bit as well as give good information about caring for chicks whos beaks are not formed correctly. I had a crossbeak quail hatch(affectionately named Beakers

) and at first I had to help with eating. But as beakers grew, he got the hang of it all. Your chick doesn't look very severe which is terrific so I would just continue monitoring the situation with eating, drinking, preening and growth. Mine was defiantly a runt but otherwise healthy and happy! Hope your baby continues to thrive and grow

I've heard Olive Eggers and Ameracuanas are prone to beaks crossing.
Our Olive Egger did SO MUCH better with mash twice a day--just water and the regular chick feed mixed together. She could scoop it up since it stuck together. She could also eat bread with no problem on my lap--she'd make a mess and actually only get every 3rd or 4th bite, but the chicks down below were happy that way too.
A little extra love and time, and they do ok.

Thanks, both.

So far, she's super duper! I am trying to read up on beak trimming and filing just in case that's needed in the future, but currently she has zero problems (except for her brother, Dinner, who causes as many problems as possible!).

Are there any must-read articles or must-see videos you can recommend on beak trimming/filing?

 

[Wishapup]

Polly is now 6 months and has been growing lately! I was worried about her last month but she seems to be doing fine. Always very eager to get her special scoop of pellets and usually flies onto it and knocks it onto the floor.

 

[Wishapup]

Thanks, both.

So far, she's super duper! I am trying to read up on beak trimming and filing just in case that's needed in the future, but currently she has zero problems (except for her brother, Dinner, who causes as many problems as possible!).

Are there any must-read articles or must-see videos you can recommend on beak trimming/filing?

I have only done it once, but I used my dog's nail clippers. It has a stop to keep you from cutting too much off at a time (better control). I just trimmed the end off at an angle that looked like it would benefit her eating. The pale pink "quick" inside/underneath the beak is a blood vessel that is easier to see in lighter colored beaks. It extends close to the tip. You can cut close to the quick so that it begins to recede, and you may be able to trim farther back within a few weeks. Otherwise, the blood vessel can keep you from trimming off the desired amount.