thank you she is very healthy other then beak issue shes about 2 times bigger then hatch mates eats all thw time didnt know if she would become more deformed later un lifes shes about 13 weeksI have one nowIn this pic she is just at 6 weeks old. It is a birth defect, that doesn't just involve the beak but the actual skull too. It is not clear from anything I've read whether it is genetic and can be passed or not, but if it is genetic and can be passed it is not a 100% passed thing I have read some on this thread I believe that have. hatched eggs from a cross beak and the offspring had none. (for the record her uncle did have a cross beak too) They are hatched looking normal, the deformity shows itself as they grow, the sooner it shows the worse it will be. They need to have thier food deep like Robin said they cannot pick food but need to be able to scoop, same w/ the water, if the deformity is slight some have been able to dremel sand the beak so it is more functional. This girl will be culled when it is time, hers is severe, started showing up less then 1 week old. She is healthy and happy now can keep up w/ all her hatchmates, but since I raise mine for meat too and very seldom keep a chicken "hospital" (not that she is sick just needing extra help) when it becomes harder for her, she will go to freezer camp.
