Scissor Beak and Foul Smelling

[JennJenn86]

Hi everyone,

Maybe 1.5 weeks ago, we noticed a little blood on the beak of our 4 week old polish. While mysterious, we didn't think much of it and thought maybe she got pecked or something on accident. Around that time, my daughter remarked how stinky this bird was. Again, I didn't think much of it because critters cam smell. Now, I am noticing this bird actually has her beak misaligned to the point where she doesn't seem to be able to close her beak and I read that a very stinky bird could be malnutrition. Size-wise, she is about to be passed up by our smallest bird, Tiny Tina. Behaviorally, she has good energy and doesn't seem to be bothered. She eats her regular chick feed and drinks water just fine. When I offer little snacks, she is usually outran by the other birds but often gets some num nums in eventually. She seems fine and unbothered. I am a little concerned about her though, because of her stench. Today, I gave the girls vitamin water. Anyone have any thoughts, experience, or recommendations on this? Should I be concerned? Thanks in advance for anything you can share!

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

Is her crop squishy?

 

[Eggcessive]

Is she having any runny poops that could be coccidiosis? I would look into her beak to see if there is any feed getting stuck and decaying. Cross beak chickens may get more food if some of their food is wet and crumbles fed in a high sided container. They won’t do well with pellets later. The beak may need slight trimming or filing later to make sure that it is meeting. Here is some good reading:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/scissor-beak-aka-crossed-beak-what-it/

 

[JennJenn86]

Is her crop squishy?

When I brought her back to the brooder yesterday, it actually felt kind of hard.

 

[Eggcessive]

Continue to monitor the crop. Watch to see if it goes down some and fills up with eating. Is she drinking water? She is too young for a squishy sour crop. Crops feel firm with chick feed inside, but they will fill up and go down as the crop empties.

 

[JennJenn86]

Continue to monitor the crop. Watch to see if it goes down some and fills up with eating. Is she drinking water? She is too young for a squishy sour crop. Crops feel firm with chick feed inside, but they will fill up and go down as the crop empties.

Thank you! I will! I am happy to report the smell kind of just went away after giving several days with vitamin water. Could be a coincidence?

 

[Eggcessive]

Hard to know why, but glad that it went away.