An Easter Egger (green egg) that hatched about three or four weeks ago developed slowly so that other chickens, hatched a week later, surpassed it in size. It became apparent that it wasn't eating, and upon force-feeding it (kept it going a few days this way), it was discovered that its lower mandible was abnormal. Was it dislocated? Malnourished and not developing properly? Genetic problem? Was it sick?
It passed away today, so it is no longer miserable--but I worry about my other chicks in the event that this one had something contagious. I've searched online and have yet to see any case that is quite the same as this, with most of the discussions usually referring to something like "scissorbill or "crossbill" or something.
In this case, there was nothing wrong with the horizontal alignment of the bill. Even the vertical was not too far off from normal, but it may be that the lower mandible was actually longer than the upper. See attached photos for details.
Any clues as to what went wrong?
If it helps in the diagnoses, it was a shipped egg, the only one of about two dozen in its batch that actually hatched. The rest of the eggs seem to have arrived too scrambled to make it, even though the shells all looked perfectly fine.
The chick had been unable to fully close its beak, and swallowing was difficult. The lower mandible seemed a little bit softened, about as flexible as an average fingernail, perhaps, provided that the fingernail were in the same shape.
It passed away today, so it is no longer miserable--but I worry about my other chicks in the event that this one had something contagious. I've searched online and have yet to see any case that is quite the same as this, with most of the discussions usually referring to something like "scissorbill or "crossbill" or something.
In this case, there was nothing wrong with the horizontal alignment of the bill. Even the vertical was not too far off from normal, but it may be that the lower mandible was actually longer than the upper. See attached photos for details.
Any clues as to what went wrong?
If it helps in the diagnoses, it was a shipped egg, the only one of about two dozen in its batch that actually hatched. The rest of the eggs seem to have arrived too scrambled to make it, even though the shells all looked perfectly fine.
The chick had been unable to fully close its beak, and swallowing was difficult. The lower mandible seemed a little bit softened, about as flexible as an average fingernail, perhaps, provided that the fingernail were in the same shape.
