ISA BROWN Chicks.. help

[Eggcessive]

Have the chicks ever been in a brooder where there has been hardware cloth? How cold is there brooder? Is it outside or inside the house? I have not seen chicks with cracked or black beaks before. Something they are pecking or touching is causing the damage. The difference in the size is because the big ones are 3 weeks older. The ISA browns do not look like meat birds. I would keep a close eye on them to see how the beaks are getting damaged. Sharp metal feeders could be the problem, but hard ro know for sure.

Before I forget, the australorp chick in the second photo, may possibly have splay legs, but it could be the slick floor. Keep their brooder bedding non-slip, and look at this link about splay leg treatment:
https://www.chickenheavenonearth.co...obbling-chickens-chicken-heaven-on-earth.html

 

[Wyorp Rock]

all of their beaks have cracked and broken since bringing them home

They really don't peck anything, that's the problem. We don't know why it's happening. Their beak ends are turning dark and falling off?

What is Cornish cross? I am so new to the chick life!

Yay that's good news! we are feeding them a starter feed that was recommended at TSC.
It was a few different people on a facebook post who told us that they looked like they were growing too fast.

What is the starter feed you have - got a photo of that?
How much room in your brooder?
Can we see the blackened tips of the beaks?

The only time I've ever had a chick with a chipped/broken tip on their beak was when they wedged it in wire, accidents like that happen, but if ALL of them are breaking/chipping their beaks - look at your brooder set-up, water and feed stations, etc. Any edges where the beaks can be caught/damaged. Are chicks getting on something and falling, are they jumping out of their brooder and landing on a hard surface, etc.

The chick looks normal in stature to me as well - I've never had ISA Browns before, but it does not look like a meat bird to me.

 

[azygous]

To have so many with this beak damage is perplexing. It could either be damage from pecking obsessively at something very hard or it's a vitamin deficiency.

I would treat the beaks with coconut oil or vitamin E oil several times a day and give the chicks Poultry Nutri-drench in their water. (A quarter teaspoon to a quart)

I would give them wet feed so they don't damage their beaks further on hard dry starter.

 

[Kelleycabincoop]

They are in a black tote with wood shavings on the bottom. a normal water/ feeder. The brooder is indoors with a heat lamp. I have seen them peck at the plastic tote, do you think that could have caused it?

 

[Kelleycabincoop]

OK also I have seen others in our area who bought ISA browns from tractor supply the same day as my sister in law and I did. All of mine, all of my sister in law, and several other people have had their ISA browns from TSC beak break. Makes me think it isn't my brooder in particular if so many other chicks are having the same issue. They all came from the same Hatch. Possibly a vitamin deficiency or something?

 

[azygous]

The clue here is that so many chicks have this broken beak issue. It strongly points to a genetic issue. Whether or not it can be corrected with vitamins and topical oil therapy is in question. You can only try it and see.

If you know which hatchery supplies your TSC store, you could call them and have a chat about this. I have done such a thing with Privett hatchery that supplies the TSC In New Mexico near where I live. They are usually very helpful, and I know they would appreciate this information for their breeding program.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I agree, I would get some vitamins and start there.
Look for a vitamin like Poultry Cell which will have some B vitamins plus A and D3. I would also give them egg daily for Biotin.