Hen Debeaked herself somehow (pic)

[Mrs. Glassman]

I usually take the hen & her hatching eggs out of the coop, and keep them in a seperate pen until the chicks get a bit bigger & have a better chance and not getting picked on or squished by bigger birds.

Yesterday, I put my hen & her babies back in the normal pen. She chased a few birds away from her chicks & let them know who's boss pretty quickly.

Today, I noticed her top beak is broken off at the end. She has trouble picking small objects up now, like single grains of food, but I'm sure she can eat from a PILE of food, and her crop seems to be full.

Will it grow back? Do you think it causes her pain? Should I do anything??

 

[Mahonri]

I've never seen them grow back.... but I've been wrong before.

 

[mtnhomechick]

One of mine did it last summer it was grown back in a month. don't worry.......it happens.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

My rooster debeaked himself on hardware cloth and it's now all grown back

He broke it off far enough to bleed too. I really didn't think it would grwo back...it looked terrible! But yep It will grow back

 

[threehorses]

Some grow back, others don't. Our older RedStar pullet is growning back her debeaked top beak (thankfully).

She'll be sore, but it should be fine.

The only treatment I know is chicken hugging.

I'd try that.

 

[Mrs. Glassman]

Thanks guys...she is my favorite broody hen. It seems like she hatches every egg she sits on & raises them well. No doubt she got that from proctecting her biddies from another young chicken that she felt got too close.

And I'll give her hugs in the morning!

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Since it is minor, it will grow back. You can take a pair of fingernail clippers and shorten the bottom portion so that both halves of her beak line up. This will make it easier for her to eat.

About the pain - the beak is like a fingernail. She can feel you touch it, but it doesn't have much feeling. The beak does have a quick, though and can bleed. Just like your fingernail.

 

[Mrs. Glassman]

Quote:

IDK if I could cut on her! I'll try to get up the courage.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Just nip a little off the end. It will feel like cutting a fingernail. Just watch out for her tongue.

 

[Mrs. Glassman]

I forgot they have tounges!