Please help me! My new baby chicks beak is not lined up, Not off alot

[sheepgal]

My new silkie chick hatched out today. Her (or his) beak is off slightly. Not a lot just a tad. I heard that this my get worse as time goes by. Can anyone give me info on this.
Other than this she is a firecracker!!

 

[arlee453]

Sounds like crossbeak.

Yes, it tends to get worse over time, but a chicken with a mild case can life a pretty good life with a few modifications.

You'll have to check to make sure the beak doesn't grow too long, and keep it trimmed if necessary. Also, a deep dish for food can help make sure the bird can scoop up food in the lower beak if the cross gets to the point where they can't peck very well.

It may progress to the point, though, where the bird can't feed itself well - and then you'll have some hard decisions to make.

Some people would automatically euthanize any cross beaked chicks - but it's really up to you whether you want to give this one a chance or not.

 

[sheepgal]

Darn. this is bad news! I thought it might not be a big deal. Did I say it is just barely off.
Do you know if I might have did something wrong in the incubation process to cause this?

 

[swtangel321]

No, You didn't do anything wrong !!! Don't worry about that !!! Just one of those crapy defects that happen.... My last hatch I had a little one with a bad leg he had to be put down about 3 weeks later. I would give him/her a chance and see what happens !!! Good luck and keep us updated !!!!

 

[silkiechicken]

It sounds genetic in your case. A skull plate defomity. Watch it and some may not be so bad, but some may turn nearly 90 degrees to the side from which you then need to think what is best. If you do keep it, don't breed it.

 

[verthandi]

I was just doing some research on cross beak in chicks and found some interesting information. There wasn't a lot on treatment except the deeper dish and keeping the beak trimmed, many use a emery board or file but this article suggested a dremel tool. I would think if started young it might be more easily accepted.

But the piece of information that amazed me was details on the position of chicks. It stated the the left wing is usually slightly over the head of a chick. (news to me, but when I think about it, several that I have helped were in a position like that.) If the wing isn't in this position than the head is doing all pushing on the shell to hatch instead of being protected by the wing and the outward movement of the wing to assist. The head can become slightly misshaped causing usually the left side to be more rounded and is a factor in cross beak chicks and ones with slightly misplaced eyes. Makes me wonder if light beak and skull massage might be helpful.