Ordered pullets picked up today, top and bottom of beak clipped!!? Normal? Pics

[MysteryChik]

We ordered ten pullets from our local county extension and picked them up today. Noticed their beaks clipped. We had no idea they would be like this and have never seen it before. Have you? I know they came from a place called Snider poultry somewhere here in NC. I've tried calling to ask them the question but no answer. Will they be able to free range? looks awful on them!

 

[Pyxis]

Poor girls have been debeaked. It's a common practice done to birds who are sold into battery farming, since in the close quarters they are kept in they will attack, mutilate, and even eat each other.

Chances are it will not grow out, they are usually clipped far enough back that they don't grow back in. Free ranging and catching bugs etc might be harder for them than it would be for a bird with a normal beak. They'd still enjoy it though.

There is a slight chance it wasn't cut back far enough to be permanent, and maybe some of them will get regrowth.

 

[junebuggena]

Very commonly done to chicks bred for commercial purposes. It's necessary to prevent cannibalizing when kept in commercial type housing. They will be able to free range, but you will still need to provide feed.

 

[MysteryChik]

Poor girls have been debeaked. It's a common practice done to birds who are sold into battery farming, since in the close quarters they are kept in they will attack, mutilate, and even eat each other.

Chances are it will not grow out, they are usually clipped far enough back that they don't grow back in. Free ranging and catching bugs etc might be harder for them than it would be for a bird with a normal beak. They'd still enjoy it though.

There is a slight chance it wasn't cut back far enough to be permanent, and maybe some of them will get regrowth.

Very commonly done to chicks bred for commercial purposes. It's necessary to prevent cannibalizing when kept in commercial type housing. They will be able to free range, but you will still need to provide feed.

Makes me so sad. Of course, I offer feed all of the time to my free ranging chickens, so they'll get plenty of food. I guess I was just shocked by it, bc nothing was mentioned about them being debeaked when I ordered them. They are hyline browns(sp), and research that I've done say that they're really good egg layers. But all of my chickens aren't just egg producers.. They're my Pets, so it breaks my heart a little to see them with that done to them. It looks like it was recently done to me? what do you guys think? what i have read says its done when they are just chicks usually. Do you you think they're in pain?

 

[junebuggena]

They burn the tips of the beaks off right after they hatch, so that the beak doesn't grow back. It was not recently done to your birds.