Missing beaks

[curliegirlie89]

Two of my hens are missing their beaks. These are not new hens. We raised them from chicks last spring. They have been very healthy up to this point. Obviously they are struggling to eat but they’re trying. Any idea what caused this? Any suggestions on how to help them?

 

[sourland]

Did you get them as chicks or are they rescue birds from a production facility? Production facility birds frequently have their beaks clipped/cauterized as chicks to reduce feather pecking/plucking.

 

[Fluffy_Feathers]

How long have you had them? Like, did you get them recently and they were this way when you got them?

 

[jus10inla]

Did u buy them from someone ? Ive seen that done to burds that are bullys to stop from pecking. Or in a poultry laying farm

 

[jus10inla]

Yep waht @sourland said

 

[curliegirlie89]

Did you get them as chicks or are they rescue birds from a production facility? Production facility birds frequently have their beaks clipped/cauterized as chicks to reduce feather pecking/plucking.

We have raised them from chicks. These are otherwise completely healthy hens.

How long have you had them? Like, did you get them recently and they were this way when you got them?

we have raised them from chicks. They have been in this flock for over a year.

 

[curliegirlie89]

Did u buy them from someone ? Ive seen that done to burds that are bullys to stop from pecking. Or in a poultry laying farm

Nope. These have been part of this flock since last spring.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

So their beaks just disappeared one day?

 

[Banana01]

They will be okay if you can keep a rather large feed dish with several inches of feed, they will be able to eat.

How did two happen in one day? Maybe it's an injury from falling, but two is suspicious.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Here’s some articles I could find that may help you:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-has-no-beak.73534/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...kens-including-tube-feeding-techniques.64321/.

I agree that a large pan of food would help them, especially if it was made into a mash with water.