Hen with misaligned beak?

[pkboni]

Just a question if anyone can help - we have 4 x 15 week old Pekin Bantams.
A few days ago we noticed one of them was very lethargic and on closer inspection the right side of her face was quite swollen. There was a small red dot underneath her eye - insect bite? Scratch mark from another hen?
Her face was swollen to the point where it had pushed her beak out of alignment and we realized that shehadn't been able to eat or drink properly for about 24 hours and was therefore dehydrated. We spent the next few days syringing mushed up grain and water into her and once the swelling went down she was much better and back to normal appetite and energy.
Her beak however, is still slightly out - ie top and bottom don't line up.
Any suggestions??

(Australia)

 

[teach1rusl]

Are you certain she didn't have at least a slight cross beak before the incident?? Either way, as long as she can eat/drink, then I'd just leave it alone. Some birds are born with cross beaks (scissor beaks), and as long as it's not severe, they do fine. Deep feed/water dishes are best in those situations, because they have difficulty picking up small pieces of things, but do fine with scooping things out (hence the deep dishes). Same with water - just easier w/a deep water dish.

If her face became THAT swollen, I'd say it was a bite or sting - I can't see a peck from another bird doing that much damage.

 

[pkboni]

Thanks so much I have to confess to not noticing if she had cross beak beforehand, certainly nothing obvious as we've had them since 8 weeks and now at 15 weeks, and she has eaten well up until this incident. Once we she was sick, the beak was pushed quite far out. That's great to know about cross beak though as I didn't realise this was so common. It's only ever so slightly crossed now that the swelling is gone and she seems ok. I have been mushing up some grain with warm water in a deep dish and they ALL love eating that so hopefully it is easier for her.