- Aug 13, 2013
- 29
- 3
- 22
I have a bird who's got a mild cross-beak. It's not too bad in terms of misalignment, but the upper beak is definitely getting WAY too long. She can still eat and drink, but it's getting harder for her to peck at things on the ground.

This is her next to a flock-mate. She's a little more gangly than the others, but she's feisty and gets on well enough without needing tube feeding, etc.
I got my flock when they were over 3 months old, and they weren't socialized as chicks. Now that I have an untamed, special-needs bird, I'm not entirely sure how to tackle this problem. And, more generally, I have an untamed flock that I would like to tame, at least to some degree.
So here are my questions:
1. How long does it take for untamed hens to start trusting you? I have bribed them with food (especially bugs), but I still can't actually catch one. They get close enough to pick the mealworm (or whatever) off my hand, but then they run away.
2. How should I catch them if needed? Fishing net? Pool skimmer? Burlap bag?
3. Is catching them this way going to traumatize them and make them distrust me all over again?
4. Will I have to net forever? Do they at least get used to netting? Or is it possible to start with netting, then eventually be able to just pick them up off the ground?
5. Should I try getting the cross-beak used to handling before trying to trim? Or should I just go for everything (catching, handling, trimming) all at once?
This is her next to a flock-mate. She's a little more gangly than the others, but she's feisty and gets on well enough without needing tube feeding, etc.
I got my flock when they were over 3 months old, and they weren't socialized as chicks. Now that I have an untamed, special-needs bird, I'm not entirely sure how to tackle this problem. And, more generally, I have an untamed flock that I would like to tame, at least to some degree.
So here are my questions:
1. How long does it take for untamed hens to start trusting you? I have bribed them with food (especially bugs), but I still can't actually catch one. They get close enough to pick the mealworm (or whatever) off my hand, but then they run away.
2. How should I catch them if needed? Fishing net? Pool skimmer? Burlap bag?
3. Is catching them this way going to traumatize them and make them distrust me all over again?
4. Will I have to net forever? Do they at least get used to netting? Or is it possible to start with netting, then eventually be able to just pick them up off the ground?
5. Should I try getting the cross-beak used to handling before trying to trim? Or should I just go for everything (catching, handling, trimming) all at once?