One of my chicks is deformed

[beepbeepinajeep]

I hatched some cochins and BCMs that I got locally. One of the BCMs hatched over a day late, but I heard it peeping & working before that. I know now why it took longer..' It is very crossbeaked and has one eye. The other side of his face doesn't even have an eye socket... it is smooth. I rarely cull (wouldn't breed it) unless a chick seems to be in pain. I have seen too many chicks surprise me and I prefer nature to take its course if possible. Will this chick be able to eat/drink?

Should I contact the person who I got the eggs from where she will know for her breeding program? Or, is it likely an incubation issue or spontaneous mutation?

Thanks!

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Should I contact the person who I got the eggs from where she will know for her breeding program? Or, is it likely an incubation issue or spontaneous mutation?

Hi! I don't know the answer. If it had come from here, I'd want to know either way.

Lisa​

 

[Rollins2708]

I hatched one of my own eggs and had the same thing happen. He lived for a few weeks and then gave up. Wish you luck.

 

[beepbeepinajeep]

I will let the breeder know then. Her marans are lovely & the eggs I am getting from the hen I bought are nice and dark

This little chick is one of the friendliest I have hatched. He is still in the bator, but is very interested in us when we look in the observation window. He turns his head where he can see us with his one eye and gets overbalanced since he is still wobbly (hatched mid morning today)

I find it hard to deal with defects in chicks since I have a child with a severe genetic condition. I feel an urge to give them a chance to at least live...

 

[blueskylen]

I have a young rooster that is blind in one eye, and he is doing very well- tho not crossbeaked.
I would think that if it can eat, that it would grow normally. I hope so!

 

[chickensioux]

I can only say what I would do in a situation like this, I would help the baby survive and see what happens. If it is not suffering or starving, I would give it a chance. Follow your heart....good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[beepbeepinajeep]

I will update with how he does in the brooder. I have a mildly crossbeaked Sultan we mail ordered and he does just fine eating/drinking. It adds to his wild look

When I first could see his beak peeking through when he was zipping I almost thought there were two chicks in there I will try to take pictures tonight or tomorrow... whenever he has dried out. It looks pretty severe to me.

 

[HBuehler]

I had something quite like it about a week ago..he was born with both eyes but he stayed in a day longer than the others and he was wedged into the shell pretty bad the membrane wasn't that dry but he ended up with a bulging eye and a slight cross beak neither I believe were genetic.Long story short he was going to live because he wanted to..I kept the eye from getting an infection..it dried some and peeled away.Now fully healed over he is just fine blind on that side.His beak is slightly off center nothing that severe and he's doing great one of the spunkiest in the playpen-we don't have brooders that sounds frumpy

our chickens play.

 

[beepbeepinajeep]

It turns its head where it can see straight ahead with this eye

There may be another eye socket, but hard to tell.

When I put him in the brooder tonight the other chicks immediately knew it looked different and went to pick on it. It has stood up for itself brilliantly & is now moving around nearly as well as the others. Do ya'll agree that the crossbeak is too severe to survive long term?

 

[Emzyyy]

I'd give the little bugger a chance. I have a crossbeaked rooster named Edward its almost been a year now, and he's fine healthy and fat.