You obviously are new to this so I am going to leave it at that. Especially with all the things you came up with comparing a equavelent the dead cutan of a toe nail with absolutely no nerves to that of a finger. but do what you what I had only made a suggestion, the same that would have been found in any university publication. Also 35 plus years of raising gamebirds maybe I know what I am talking about. Good luck
You obviously ARE new to the understanding of beaks....
Beak trimming[edit]
Main article: Debeaking
Because the beak is a sensitive organ with many sensory receptors, beak trimming (sometimes referred to as 'debeaking') is "acutely painful"
[114] to the birds it is performed on. It is nonetheless routinely done to intensively farmed
poultry flocks, particularly
laying and
broiler breeder flocks, because it helps reduce the damage the flocks inflict on themselves due to a number of
stress-induced behaviors, including
cannibalism,
vent pecking and
feather pecking. A cauterizing blade or infrared beam is used to cut off about half of the upper beak and about a third of the lower beak. Pain and sensitivity can persist for weeks or months after the procedure, and
neuromas can form along the cut edges. Food intake typically decreases for some period after the beak is trimmed. However, studies show that trimmed poultry's
adrenal glands weigh less, and their plasma
corticosterone levels are lower than those found in untrimmed poultry, indicating that they are less stressed overall.
[114]
A similar but separate practice, usually performed by an
avian veterinarian or an experienced birdkeeper, involves clipping, filing or sanding the beaks of captive birds for health purposes – in order to correct or temporarily alleviate overgrowths or deformities and better allow the bird to go about its normal feeding and preening activities.
[115] Amongst
raptor keepers, this practice is commonly known as "coping".
[11
BEAK TRIMMING
Unless you are very adept and experienced, you and your bird would both be better off leaving beak trimming to her veterinarian. Your bird's beak is a very sensitive tool, essential to her survival, and used for such diverse tasks as eating, grooming, nest building, climbing, feeding the young, defense and communication. The beak is made up of horn-like tissue that grows continually, and therefore requires periodic maintenance.
Abnormal beak length interferes with eating, grooming and other activities, and in species such as parrots and budgies, an abnormally long beak can eventually curve down and penetrate the tissues of the neck.
In the wild, birds keep their beaks trimmed through natural abrasion from climbing, perching, and so forth. In their natural environment, birds have access to substances such as rocks to keep their bills worn down. In captivity, unless the owner provides a substitute, birds will have nothing to keep their bills worn down. We should keep in mind that as pet owners, one of our responsibilities is to provide a simulation of our pet's natural environment, which is why we should furnish bird cages with cuttlebones and mineral blocks to help with our bird's beak maintenance.
Aside from providing cuttlebones and mineral blocks, you can supply her with chew sticks, tree branches, nuts, pieces of wood and similar items. This can help drastically reduce the possibility of your bird's beak growing to abnormal lengths. It is unusual for a bird that has plenty of stimulation from such items to ever need her beak trimmed.
However, just in case your bird is unable to keep her beak sufficiently trimmed on her own, you will need to consider giving her a little help. Remember, though, that beak trimming is definitely something that should not be handled by an inexperienced owner. Beaks can split or crack, and if they are cut too short, they can bleed extensively. To make a comparison, a bird's beak is as sensitive and fragile as your teeth. You certainly would prefer to have an expert dentist take care of your teeth! Your bird's veterinarian should handle beak trimming during routine visits and checkups.
I don't care HOW many years you have been keeping quail. There is NO NEED EVER to trim a birds beak unless you are a professional in the business of farming LARGE quantities of birds in SMALL spaces.
But...as you say, maybe these articles know more that we do.