QUESTION For BLRW Breeders about crossed beaks

chickee

Crowing
13 Years
Apr 20, 2010
3,759
185
326
Sierra foothills, California
I have 15 week old and 8 week old BLRW chicks that are from 2 different breeders. Two chicks in the 15 week old group have crossed beaks (parrot beak) and 1 chick in the 8 week old groups beak is just starting to cross. The 2 chicks with crossed beaks (1 pullet, 1 rooster) in the 15 wk old group are from the original Lowell barber lines (from Catt's stock) and the 1 pullet in the 8 wk old group is Paul's x Foley lines. I have noticed that the 8 wk old pullet has the same head type as the two chicks with crossed beaks in the 15 week old group. When looking on Feathersite at the picture of a BLRW pullet from Catt's birds, I see that the beak looks more like a sparrow's beak (no overhang) which looks un-natural. My question: Is this a genetic problem coming from a gene associated with this head type, and am I going to have problems with crossed beaks if I breed these two groups (not the crossed beaks, they will be culled) to one another? Your experience/opinions would be greatly appreciated!
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I looked at feathersite and I see what you mean. Their faces are long, but the part covered up by beak is short, and steep. Doesn't look like my BLRW. If you don't like the birds you hatched, and they have beak problems, I would sell/cull them and start over. Bad news, I know, but it is WAY cheaper in the long run to cull than to breed bad birds, no matter how much they cost.
 
Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I have both Foley and Jesse Pauls lines here. All I can add is I remember in my original birds from Pauls there was 1 chick that did develop a crossbeak and after looking at pics and my birds I see that his line favors the sparrow beak type head and Foleys tend to have the longer overhang beak.
 
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The two chicks from the same breeder pen with crossed beaks are Catt lines (pure Lowell Barber lines) and the other a cross of Paul and Foley's lines. I do have birds that are Jesse Paul's lines and none of those birds have had crossed beaks. None of my chicks came directly from Paul's poultry or Foley's waterfowl, so it is probably the breeding practices of the people I bought eggs from that is the problem. The only two reasons for crossed beaks that I can find is, genetics and a nutritional deficiency. I wonder if crossed beaks is becoming more of a problem in BLRW's because of the small gene pool?
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I'm sorry
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I know it is very upsetting to see your birds develope crossed beaks! My 2 crossed beaked roosters will hopefully go to a rescue group who can possibly find them a home with some compassionate person
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The crossed beak pullet found a home with a sweet BYC member. Seems as though the purebred breeds have genetic weaknesses. Now I am dealing with severely curled toes on two Wheaten and Blue Wheaten Ameraucana chicks from two different hatches, same breeder
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I would expect that it means that he trimmed the beak so that there is no overhang. Most exhibitors do this on all breeds.

Crossbeak can be genetic, but is not always so. Injury while the beak is still relative soft can be a cause; this can occur by pecking something that is hard, or by fine mash that builds up at the inner edge of the beak. I do agree that you should not use the cross beaked bird to breed, but that does not mean that the line as a whole is flawed. I don't think the photo can show that the head shape is incorrect to the point of causing a crossed beak. For that you would need a straight on front shot, not the angled photo that really does not allow for checking symmetry (or its lack) that would affect the beak.
 
Quote:
I'm sorry
hugs.gif
I know it is very upsetting to see your birds develope crossed beaks! My 2 crossed beaked roosters will hopefully go to a rescue group who can possibly find them a home with some compassionate person
smile.png
The crossed beak pullet found a home with a sweet BYC member. Seems as though the purebred breeds have genetic weaknesses. Now I am dealing with severely curled toes on two Wheaten and Blue Wheaten Ameraucana chicks from two different hatches, same breeder
sad.png


Curled to the side, or curled under (like a closed fist)? Different causes, but likely nutritional deficiency, incubation problem or disease--I'll have to look up which is which. I do not believe it genetic.
 

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