New Chicken has a deformed beak!

[edb]

I bought a few chickens at a livestock auction. As I removed them from the boxes I noticed that one had a deformed bead. It looked so bad that I thought I would have to euthanize it immediately. As I inspected it noticed that it was a old deformity. The chicken is about 6-7Lbs. and looks like a Jersey giant or a Australorp. It's lower beak is about 3/16" offset from the otherwise normal top. Other than that it seems healthy and feeds and drinks well. It is in my Quarantine pen with the other new ones. Knowing I'm not the only person to see this I'm hoping for help from you experts!

 

[AkTomboy]

I have a roo who has a beak like that. I dont breed him just keep him for a big bro type when the new chicks first move outside. He eats and drinks well I just keep an eye on the very end to make sure it does not get longer than his top. So what do you need help with? If he is eating and drinking well I would think all is find just dont breed him.

 

[purpletree23]

Seems like he eats and drinks just fine. I say he's a keeper. Just watch the beak like AKTomboy suggested so it doesn't grow too crazy and don't use him for breeding stock.

Wishing you luck with your new arrivals.

 

[Nostalchic]

Hi Elb,
This is a "cross beak" deformity, which is actually a malformation of the facial bones. In some chickens, it is severe enough that they cannot eat or drink and will eventually, without hand feeding and watering, die. Some minor cases benefit from periodic trimming. It tends to be only minimally apparent in little chicks, but more pronounced as they grow. If this is an adult, which it sounds like it is, it seems like she's doing fine with it and may have no problems but - I agree - you don't want progeny from this individual.

 

[edb]

Thanks a million, that is what I was hoping to hear. This might grow to be one of the old timers. I was only shocked at first because I thought it was a new injury. I feel much better about it now!

 

[Henrychics]

Hi- I am a new chicken owner. I bought my first 5 chics on 2/14/12. We soon discovered that our little Americana had what you refer to as a crossed beak deformity. It wasn't obvious as a chic but as she has grown it is very distinct. She is about 5 1/2 weeks old now and is only 1/2 the size of her roommates (2 Buff Orpingtons,1 Rhode Island Red, 1 Barred Rock) She is not growing but she has her feathers just like the other girls. Just last week I started bringing her in at night and mixing her grain with water and squirting it into her mouth. I will continue to do this until we move them outside which may be 4 weeks from now. Thoughts on what else I can do for her? She pecks at the grain in the bowl along with the other, it just takes alot of effort on her part for very little food she actually gets. Thanks for your help!

 

[BirdyMe]

I had an Americauna a few years ago that had an extremely crooked beak like that. We just gave her extra TLC- when the other chickens were eating, we usually set her inside the feed bag, where she wouldn't be bugged by other chickens and she could get as much food as she needed. She lived to be about 3 or 4 years old.

I work at the feed mill around here, and today I brought home a week-old Silkie chick with the same deformed beak. It'll be lots of special attention for him for the rest of his life!

 

[Cheesecake]

I have a chick that was hatched in an incubator. She has a crossed beak n only has one eye. She was left together with her other siblings then when they were 12 weeks old transferred them together with my older hens. Things were going good until a few weeks of being altogether, they started to peck at her, so I isolated her from them n put her in her own little house. This is the thing, hens know very well if there's a sick hen or something is not right in the chook house. They do target the weak ones.
Anyway, my Cheesecake (thats her name) is 4mths old n is doing good as in eating. She has soaked pellets mixed with fine oaks. I mix her food with plenty of warm water (its our winter now) in that way she's gettn water at the same time while she side pecks her food. I do have water for her, too but she just washes her beak in it, lol. The food will dry up n looks like mash but I put more water in n mix again. Cooked peas, squeeze just the inside out n mix with her food or just place on top. I also go digging for worms or slaters. She gets let out during the day n followers me when I go insect hunting, hehe! Cheesecake is doing well n a smart chick.
Just thought I would share my experience with my Cheesecake. I hope some of what I said helps? Good luck, with your crossed beak chicks/hens.

I hand feed her the worms n slaters. I push them down into her mouth n let her do the rest. She doesn't like it but once she swallows, she likes

 

[Laura k]

I bought a few chickens at a livestock auction. As I removed them from the boxes I noticed that one had a deformed bead. It looked so bad that I thought I would have to euthanize it immediately. As I inspected it noticed that it was a old deformity. The chicken is about  6-7Lbs. and looks like a Jersey giant or a Australorp. It's lower beak is about 3/16" offset from the otherwise normal top. Other than that it seems healthy and feeds and drinks well. It is in my Quarantine pen with the other new ones. Knowing I'm not the only person to see this I'm hoping for help from you experts!

That is from temps too high when egg was forming. It will be fine and happy as my duck has a great quality if life with deformed beak. This is not genetic