Help! broken beak on 8 week old pullet.

[MissChick@dee]

First of all she's in a lot of pain and probably in shock, the beak being one of the most sensitive parts of a chicken's body. Treat for that first with half a baby aspirin (81 grains) two time a day and electrolytes in her water. (Older chickens get one whole baby aspirin twice a day)

The tea bag and super glue is impractical in some of these broken beak cases, especially when the victim is so tiny and young. I would keep the beak moist with an antibiotic ointment and give her vitamin B-7 and biotin to help grow in stronger cutaneous cells on her beak.

Meanwhile, feed her soft foods such as moistened feed, soft boiled egg, yogurt, etc.

 

[MissChick@dee]

One of the things you need to prepare for is if she refuses to eat. If you have a vet, ask them to sell you a feeding tube and feeding syringe to have on hand if she needs to be tube fed. I got a tube and syringe from my vet for $3 for the two items.

You can look for baby bird formula which is balanced in nutrients for birds to tube feed her or just to feed her as her beak heals. You will be surprised how quickly a chick can heal. I also mix yogurt and strained baby meat together for a high protein food for sick chickens. Or raw egg yolk and baby meat.

I've been thinking of a scenario where a chick could sustain that kind of beak injury. I picture a raw edge of hardware cloth with a slight gap against a wood surface. The chick sees something behind the ragged wire edge and sticks her beak into the gap, snags it on the raw edge and tears the beak as she tries to wrench herself free. You need to look for such a raw edge where you have your chicks and tape it up or secure it with a wood furring strip.

If you could get a hook tip syringe it’d work perfect. Call your DENTIST and ask for one. Best first aide tool ever!

 

[MotherHen1234]

Thank you but she is doing great now on her own. But if I have anymore problems like this I will keep that in mind.

 

[Littleshadow]

I’m so glad she’s doing better!

When I found my LB leghorn roo with a bent beak (half of the top bent inward were he couldn’t close his mouth eat or drink) I was also in shock. With advice from my vet I actually had to cut the end completely off (Ni it would not bend back into place). So much blood and poor faine was in a lot of pain for several hours but his beak grew back normal even when I didn’t think it would!

I also have a blind RIR who free ranges just fine! Believe it or not.

Chickens are sturdy little things!
I’m never surprised by how tough those little birds actually are.

 

[MotherHen1234]

The same chicken has scalped herself on a cinder block and it has healed back perfectly normal.

 

[ChickNanny13]

OUCH! It's been said "things" happen in threes ... That's two for her already, need to put her in a padded cage Looks like you got it cleaned out well, keep the flies off.

 

[MotherHen1234]

That happend about 4 weeks ago her head looks great now!

 

[imnukensc]

That's one of those chickens vying for the Darwin Award!

 

[MotherHen1234]

I know right !

 

[MotherHen1234]

It’s been about 3 months since I last updated this thread but she is absolutely great now! She even laid her first egg 3 weeks ago! I am so lucky to have her. She does have a little bit of a short beak but that just adds to her character. Love this girl .