Help! Beaks on chicks- damaged or normal?

[PluckyRuby]

We have 3 three week old Brown Shaver chicks from a local hatchery. One is missing the whole tip of it's beak, the others are missing the tip of the top or bottom beak. Is this normal? Do they grow back? Should we be concerned?

 

[sourland]

Some suppliers clip the beaks of chicks (generally destined for commercial egg producers) so that they are less able to peck their cagemates. If this is indeed what has been done, they will not regrow their beaks. To me it is unsightly, but such birds generally have little or no problem eating.

 

[PluckyRuby]

Thanks for that. I had wondered. I guess we can be thankful that we have saved 3 wee chicks destined to be battery hens.