Need Advice for Deformed Chick.

[Redcatcher]

What are the chances of this chick being able to eat on his own? The cross beak is not as much as a problem as the lower beak being quite a bit longer than the upper. He finally learned how to drink after a few days but cannot pick up feed even in a deep dish. I have been placing crumbled pieces of dry dog food into his beak which he easily swallows. I thought about trimming his lower beak but I am afraid of loosing the cup shape of the beak that permits him to drink. He is also missing an eye which is the least of his problems. I just do not have the heart to dispatch him, not to mention all that I can show for some expensive eggs.

 

[AHappychick]

you can try feeding it a mash of waterand starter feed, mix in yogurt once and a while and see if it thrives. It is pretty messed up and chances are it will pass on its own as I am guessing there is more messed up that what you can see. as long as it is gaining weight and getting around you can try to keep it going, but dont get your hopes up.

 

[Redcatcher]

I will try the wet mash. I am not sure how much of the problem is actually genetic. I had to assist him from the egg and the crook of his wing was deeply embedded into the side of his head. You can see how it makes a near perfect impression. If I had not assisted him, I would not have seen that. As to where his eye went, I have no idea.

 

[chickee]

So sorry about your little guy!

There are ingredients in dog and cat food that aren't good for chicks/chickens. I would feed soft boiled egg, and use GQF vitamin plus in his water. I understand how upsetting this must be for you because I have 2 chicks with crossed beaks from one of my hatches from shipped eggs. Mine were not born with theirs, they started developing at 3 weeks of age. I'm sure these birds were to closely interbred to get 2 in one batch!!

I'm afraid the outlook isn't good for your chick, but that doesn't mean you can't love him and make his life as comfortable as you can!

 

[Shannon's Chix]

Oh my it looks just like my Charlie. He was able to eat on his own although when I put the feed in a round gravity feeder and higher up it helped. I hatched him out just like that. I can't say what I'd do if he was unable to eat on his own. He was not eating as much the first few months as his hatch mates but I supposed has developed a way of eating that works for him. Now he's caught up to them as far as weight. His hatch mates treat him like any other and he free ranges too. I wish you and your special baby the best whatever you decide.

 

[MissJenny]

Bless his heart and yours -- I would not have the heart to dispatch him either. My feeling is that if it is trying to live it is up to us to help. For the lower beak being too long am wondering if it can be trimmed and/or sanded with a dremmel. I don't know beans from nothin', but I know they disfigure chickens by trimming their beaks. It seems to me this can be done for the purpose of good as well as for evil.

The other thing that strikes me is that I would think a cross-beak could be wired shut for several hours a day until it is corrected -- a week to ten days. It would require work, but a life time of hand-feeding is certainly quite a lot of work. I would think a good feeding and watering every hour for several days, then every two hours for several days, with the beak wired straight in between... would that work?

I am in this little guy's corner, and your's.

This is me, cheering you on:

Jenny

 

[Chicks&Chihuahuas]

I have no experience here, but wanted to say that (s)he sure is a cute little one just the way (s)he is. I had a sugar glider once who was born blind (well, with cataracts so severe all he could see were shadows of light and dark). He was rubbish at flying but boy did he try anyway! The "handicap" actually made him so dependent on us that he was much more tame and sweet than he may have otherwise been. He still lived a great life (even if he did bump into a few walls while rolling around the house in his hamster ball). I wouldn't have traded that little one in for anything.

Hopefully you'll be as lucky as Shannon (Charlie is adorable BTW) and I think it is wonderful that you want to try to help give your little one a chance instead of just write him/her off due to being different. Best wishes and keep us posted!

 

[libbyhan]

I'm looking for advice on cross beak as well. I've got a little one (just under 2 weeks) with cross beak. My kids talked me into getting her. She seems to eat and drink OK and weighs more than the other bantam that I picked up to be her buddy.

I can't cull her. I just can't. She gobbled up a carpenter ant that got into the brooder the other day, so I have hopes. She's been pecking at apples. She seems to toss alot of food when she eats it and I have a nice deep bowl full for her. Maybe I should get a deep waterer as well?

I'm wondering if I should dremel her break (I have a friend that's a vet that I could ask to help- she seems so tiny). Sometimes it looks worse than others.

The guy at the feed store told me the chick would be fine. She'd been in a brooder with about 100 "assorted bantams" for over a week before we picked her up. I suppose if she was real fragile, she'd just have died.

Is there hope?

 

[HBuehler]

We hatched a one eye crossed beaked completely kind of looks like yours actually(mailed eggs I figured it was well scrambled) normally we do cull them but this one was so spunky and wanting to live-normally they won't eat this one was a piglet we figured in a few days it would die as most will but instead it's thriving.I don't do anything special for it...we have hundreds of chickens and can't do that.She eats and drinks no problem gets around outside like a trooper

 

[Redcatcher]

Thanks for all of the kind words, advice and encouragement. Charlie looks like he is missing an eye, too? He sure seems to be enjoying life. I tried taping his beak shut for the first 48 hours hoping it would help but I saw no improvement. I would like for him to drink whenever he please because the food being dry. If I switch to a wet mash, I would not have to worry as much. Trimming the beak is still a possibility but the battery hens and broilers always have the upper beak cut and does not interfere with drinking. Besides, it will bleed profusely, cause some pain and will have to be able to cauterize it immediately.