Outer coating of beak came off

[Jessica241]

Help!

My 4 month Americauna managed to strip the coating off her beak! I think she must have put it through the hardware cloth on the coop, got stuck, then pulled back.

She is sensitive when I try to clean it and just wants to sit and not move around.

How should I go about treating her and making her feel better?

Thank you!!

 

[EggWalrus]

She will heal. Breaks have blood vessels and a "quick" in them like their toe nails. If you cut it back too far, they can bled and be painful, but it heals pretty quick.
Good luck!

 

[EggWalrus]

Also, just like their nails, a birds beak continues to grow through out life and can need to be "manicured" if there is nothing for them to groom their beak on like rocks or concrete.

 

[Jessica241]

Also, just like their nails, a birds beak continues to grow through out life and can need to be "manicured" if there is nothing for them to groom their beak on like rocks or concrete.

Thank you! They are free range whenever I am home but they get a little impatient in the morning before I let them out! Should I put anything on her beak to help heal it? I'm worried about her not eating. I mushed up blueberries and bananas and oats (all her favorites) and she won't touch it.

 

[Ptera]

Poor baby! There's a lot of nerve endings in a beak so she's in pain. Keep her still & quiet if you can (Can you keep her in a warm place indoors for a few days?) The others will try to peck any injuries they see so she should be alone. Lots of fresh water. She probably won't feel like eating much for a little while. Do you have crumbles (or crush some pellets in a plastic bag with a hammer)? Something with 100% nutrition that's soft so she can scoop it up. I'd first dab some hydrogen peroxide on it. Then some antibiotic ointment in a thin layer (don't let them get in her mouth).

 

[Jessica241]

Thank you! I have her inside with me right now in a crate with towel padding, fresh water, and food. The food we give them looks like this, maybe I can just add some water to make it more of a mush?

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Poor little girl! That feed looks more like a scratch than formulated chicken feed. Please provide your flock with a layer or starter/grower.
Best of luck!

 

[Jessica241]

Poor little girl! That feed looks more like a scratch than formulated chicken feed. Please provide your flock with a layer or starter/grower.
Best of luck!

Thank you! It is! It's hugelland premium non-gmo grower! We have spoiled chickens

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Thank you! It is! It's hugelland premium non-gmo grower! We have spoiled chickens

I certainly hope your sweet girl is back to normal soon!

 

[WVduckchick]

They do heal very quickly. She should be fine within a few days, if not sooner. It is much like us breaking a fingernail. It smarts at first, and we baby it for a bit (more whining lol), but its soon forgotten. If she is healthy otherwise, she will eat when she's hungry. I would provide things that she likes, but I wouldn't worry too much if she doesn't eat real heartily for a day or so.