My crooked neck & my crossed beak chicks **Pics**

[Knock Kneed Hen]

I purchased 14 chicks from the local feed store, all ordered from McMurray. Two are "imperfect". I'm okay with that, but I do worry about their future.
Both eat, drink, preen, etc.. just fine. The little crooked neck SLW has not gotten better despite my efforts with Poly-Vi-Sol. Her neck is deformed and is
shaped like a backwards C. I'm amazed that she can reach around and preen her right side. I am worried about both of these chicks making it to adult
hood. I have a back up plan if they require special care (my mom). I'm not as worried about the crossed beak EE as her beak (really, is a misaligned
jaw) doesn't appear to be getting worse. At this point that is all I can hope for with both these birds. Has anyone successfully raised a chick with a
crooked neck?

"Itty Bitty" at a few weeks old with our other SLW from the same batch. Now at 4 weeks old.

4 weeks old.

"Chrissy", our EE, at 4 weeks old. Another view of "Chrissy"

 

[bock]

Wow, I am sorry you have to deal with that. But it seems like u r handling it well.

 

[Flippacase]

I've read and seen pictures that a minor cross beak like that can get drastically worse very quickly....so just keep an eye out....

 

[mlove]

It's wonderful that you are caring for two babies with health concerns. I hope they grow up and live a long life.

 

[Beekercat]

Wishing you the best with your babies - it's wonderful that they landed in such a loving and caring home. Keep us posted on their progress.

 

[Emzyyy]

I had three cross beaked bantams shipped to me. I still have one. I've had her longer than a year. Make sure she has a deep bowl to be able to sorta scoop her food and she should be fine.

Goodluck

 

[redrocketrooster]

For the girl with the neck issues use the forum search tool and look up "Wry Neck", she may have a deficiency of some kind and the threads regarding it could be the cure.

 

[b.hromada]

Quote:

exactly.

 

[indianporfavor]

good luck with your special chicks! i hope they do well, im rooting for them. they are very cute

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

I got a EE rooster with cross beak a year ago from a local feed store.


The boy cannot eat many of the treats that I give the birds. For example, I sometimes take stale whole wheat bread and break it up for the chickens. He tries so hard, but he just cannot eat it. Even if I try to isolate him and hand feed him, he still cannot seem to eat it.


But he does seem to be able to eat the layer feed pellets in the feed trough, as long as the trough is full to overflow.


I have noticed that he eats best, however, when eating from an open bucket. So I started putting out a #10 tin can full of layer pellets, which I fill to the brim each day. Some of the hens also eat out of the large can, but I put it out for him, and he does get alot of his daily food out of that large can.


Also, he seems to be able to eat chicken scratch IF I let him eat it out of the open bucket. Since I don't have to worry about the quality of his eggs (the way I have to do the hens), I let him eat more scratch. Scratch seems to be easier for him to eat than the layer pellets.


I've been told that oatmeal is good for crossbeaks, but I don't know if that is raw oatmeal or if that is cooked. Anyway, I haven't tried oatmeal for him yet since he does seem to be able to eat layer pellets and chicken scratch out of cans/buckets.