How much should I be trying to get this crossbeak to eat daily? And can I train her to eat sideways?

[Birdsong 82]

I’ve heard about using a Dremel to trim also. Good suggestion

 

[vivaciouswoman]

That is a good question the amount she should eat. I’m going to look into that because I guess I never thought of it because chicken just always have food and they eat what they please. Have you tried maybe wetting for food to help her eat easier

Perhaps just as important, what should be the ration of food to water that she should be getting? That would help me judge whether she's taking in too much water relative to food, which I suspect she is from her watery poops.

 

[vivaciouswoman]

Beyond trimming, you can get a dremmel tool to file the beak into more of a normal shape. Retraining is almost impossibly as it is very painful. Crossbeak is generally caused by an entire skull deformity.

Leave the top beak mostly alone and focus more on reshaping the bottom. I’ve had good luck with just managing the shape so it doesn’t get stuck in a feeder. When still younger, supplement with eggs and yogurt to get some additional calories in.

And I know culling is never the option anyone wants but if she isn’t able to feed herself with minimal intervention after a few weeks, it might be the most humane option. Keep in mind and bird with a deformity like this is likely to be at the bottom of the pecking order and she can’t defend herself. I’ve had a flock start to canabilize a hen with crossbeak before. So sometimes it isn’t worth subjecting them to that kind of life.

That sounds daunting! Her little tongue is so long and active! How to you do that and not harm the tongue? Tell me more!! <3

 

[Birdsong 82]

Everything I’ve seen says a standard sized chicken should be eating approximately a quarter pound feed Per day. I noticed my chickens eat a little bit less when it’s hot out. Also when it’s hot out they of course taken more water so it’s not unusual to have a watery poop every once in a while

 

[Birdsong 82]

I do my dogs nails with the Dremel because there’s much of a less chance of them ending up bleeding . But I understand what you’re saying because just like my dog it’s hard to keep them still that long. I know with my dog I guess do a little bit every day. But I don’t know how that would work with chickens

 

[WVduckchick]

Everything I’ve seen says a standard sized chicken should be eating approximately a quarter pound feed Per day. I noticed my chickens eat a little bit less when it’s hot out. Also when it’s hot out they of course taken more water so it’s not unusual to have a watery poop every once in a while

I remember reading somewhere a percentage of their own weight (like 5%??) but can't seem to find it now.

 

[Birdsong 82]

I’ve heard 5% 10% all the way up to 20%. But when I look past percentages I always see quarter pound per day for standard size. Of course that changes for small or large

 

[HenniesInMyHeart]

@vivaciouswoman , Sweetheart, you have been through so, so much. I am sorry. We are here for you though! @casportpony is the tube-feeding guru around here. He can tell you how much to feed. I would be more worried about too little water than too much. I believe if you make the food into a gruel, she will figure out how to get into it. You could help her by using your finger like a beak, dipping it into the wet food then bringing it up and touching some to her tongue, and repeat...this is how I teach my chicks to do anything (pretending my finger is a beak), like drinking from a nipple waterer or pecking at food. Cross beaks can live happy lives but may need supplemental feedings for life. Hopefully you can get some specific numbers for how much to feed her.
Immediately, I would buy some baby bird formula. It is nutrient-rich and will get her weight up. Also, you may want to get a crop feeding tube and syringe. You can buy them online and that may be the easiest solution. It's super fast! Insert tube, slowly inject food, withdraw tube....done in a minute! Since you're going to the vet, ask them to show you how! It's better to be trained in person.

 

[cmom]

So she feeds herself okay? Did she always?

Yes.

 

[vivaciouswoman]

Wow! Thanks so much everybody!

I'd never visited this particular veterinary clinic before, but I was so pleasantly surprised! The vet was a fellow backyard chicken owner/lover, and he listened very carefully to all the nuances. We found that she also has a problem with her heart, so chances are that she has some other issues here or there.

You were so right: I can now intubate a chicken! The vet very patiently showed me how to do that, and I came straight home with Little Miss Crossbeak and did it solo--nobody even holding her for me! How refreshing to get that crop full in 1 minute rather than 30 minutes!! This may be doable!

Also, the vet got out a dremel and used the grinding bit and actually ground down that lower beak for me. Her tongue did touch it a bit, which may have heated her up, but it didn't seem to hurt her. She was just a little freaked out by the whole ordeal. I don't blame her! But I now have some great guidance on how to do that, as well!

Finally, he gave me some guidance on feeding amounts and frequencies:

1. At each feeding, we have to be guided by the size of the crop. We want to fill 'er up, but not stretch 'er out. No bras here. Right now, she can have 10-15 ml/feeding.
2. The number of feedings is guided by the amount she should be eating for her age. She has a lot of catching up to do! I'll be tube feeding 3-4 times a day until she gains some weight. Hopefully by then her crop will be able to handle closer to 20 ml at a time, and eventually we should be able to get away with 2-3 feedings per day.

Doable! I may not be able to do a third feeding every day, but two I definitely can do, especially now that I know how to intubate. I'm so glad he showed me how to do that. I've heard horror stories about human intubations, but chickens' anatomy is different enough that I no longer feel apprehensive about it. She doesn't like the tube going down, but she's not in pain.

So: we have a plan for how much and how often to feed her. I now know how to dremel her bottom beak down, too, and I'll probably have to keep that up weekly. But it's nowhere near as onerous a task as I once thought.

I'll keep everyone posted here on how things go. Thank you to EVERYONE!!