My little Easter Egger has a cross beak

[Jesusbear7]

I got 5 more EE's 3 weeks ago and on the day they turned one week, i noticed one had something weird going on with her beak. I immedietly got on here and read that it was called cross beak, but it seems like my little girl has a pretty severe case. She is always hungry, I put a deep little dish in just for her and everytime i refill the regular one, she goes for that one too. The other girls seem to lay back and let her go for it and wait their turn... i have to take her away and show her the dish i put in for her so the others can eat, still she is visibly smaller than the others now. It's gotten that i wake up a few times during the night to refill her bowl, as she ends up kicking alot of it all over the brooder for the other girls to eat. Their brooder is in the sitting area in my bed room and i am having a heck of a time sleeping with all her noise. It makes me feel so sad that she is trying so hard to eat, but still is always so hungry... I am still very new to the chicken world, it all started with a chick a friend found and brought to me... now i have twelve. i love them soooo much and just want to take care of them to the best of my ability. I'm at a loss with this little one... any advice would be great.

here's some pics of her, you can see her size compared to the others, she's in the front of the pack.

<img src="http://x68.xanga.com/932f765635c35253950379/b201836368.jpg" alt="ee's" style="width:600px" />

here is a close up

<img src="http://xee.xanga.com/c66f455605d32253950377/b201836367.jpg" alt="cb2" style="width:600px" />

<img src="http://x39.xanga.com/dbcf5b5645d33253950375/b201836365.jpg" alt="cb" style="width:600px" />

 

[Jesusbear7]

sorry about the pics, let's try again...

 

[speckledhen]

To post pics, you must first have them in an online photo hosting site like photobucket. (((okay, they're there now)))

Crossbeaks can literally starve to death, slowly. They must have deep dishes and sometimes they can live if the bottom beak is trimmed, but most of the time, it doesn't work out well. It's also genetic, unfortunately. I have culled a beautiful black Ameraucana cockerel when his beak just started to cross since I didn't want the trait passed on.

That one is very severe, I'm afraid. You really should cull the poor little thing.

 

[obe10]

oh man! that is pretty severe! i don't think there much you can do for cross beak... just give her a good life i guess. sorry about your little chick

she is a cuttie though

 

[Jesusbear7]

That is what i was so afraid of, but i couldn't bear letting her suffer... i see the phrase cull quite a bit on here, i'm going to assume the meaning. I would never be able to do that personally, i litterally can't kill a fly, do you know if i could take her to a vet to have her put down? this is breaking my heart.

 

[teach1rusl]

Oh my gosh!! That poor thing. I don't see how she eats anything.

If you get the impression that she IS always hungry because she can't eat well enough, then I would consider culling. A quick, merciful ending is better than slow starvation. I am so sorry for her AND you.

I wish you luck with your decision.

 

[speckledhen]

Most of us have to learn to cull/euthanize our young birds with serious defects or injuries. If you do a search on that, you will find numerous methods for it in this area of the forum. No matter how many times we do it, it is very heartwrenching. I'm sorry, but she really won't thrive and will probably starve, not a pleasant way to go.

 

[Laurie's Silkies]

I have a lovely 6 week old splash silkie with a cross beak that is just as severe as yours. However mine seems to be eating and doing well. He eats grass and I keep the feed level high in the reel feeder. I took out the reel so he can access it easily. Still the same size as the others. I probably should cull him since it is hereditory,but he is getting along so well I just hate to. I am keeping an eye on him and letting him live as long as he can get along ok. Come breeding age though he will need to be culled I guess. Bummer.

 

[Jesusbear7]

i can only make the humane decision... i just love her so much, since she is the one i've spent the most time with, we've really created a bond.

i guess i have to make a call to a vet... this sucks that it's friday, i really have to do my very best to ensure her the most comfort this weekend and hopefully she is getting at least some food... it's really hard to tell if she's getting any despite her best efforts.