Scissor beak chick

[OneToManyChickens]

That’s Amazing!! I’m so glad she is doing well. Thank you for caring about her and letting her live.

 

[Cellomama2]

I just couldn't let her go without a fight. She has such a big personality and is such a fighter so I decided I had to at least try. Now I have another skill in my back pocket too.

 

[Cellomama2]

So Sweet Pea is up to 122 grams which is very good but I was wondering how long the tube feeding is going to have to go on for? I thought if I got her a little stronger she would be able to figure out the food thing on her own but overall thats not looking like the case. The scissor beak I had before I had gotten when she was pretty much fully grown so I didn't have to do any special feeding with her. Unless I feed Sweet Pea at least 3 times a day she isn't making significant strides with the weight gain and I'm just worried about what I'm going to do when this WI lock down is over and I go back to work.
Also is there anything I can add to the Exact to help her fill out more or do I just have to do even more feedings? Shes gaining but her breast bone is still pretty predominant.

 

[rosemarythyme]

She might need to be tube fed, period, to keep going. Very hard to say. This is why tube feeding is such a tough decision, because for most people it's not realistic to keep doing it long term. Is she able to eat anything on her own at all?

 

[TheChickenHole]

Also on YouTube there is a channel called A Chick Called Albert. One of his videos shows him feeding and rehabilitating a cross beak chick who couldn’t eat. I don’t have the link but a quick search should find the channel.

The link is: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBjh-uGy5RcclATnFpQBobw

 

[TheChickenHole]

oops that was the link to the channel, heres the link to the video:

 

[Cellomama2]

She can somewhat eat on her own. There have been a few times I've gotten everything set up to tube feed her only to discover her crop has food in it but most of the time I check its completely empty. I see her going at the food all the time so I don't get how sometimes she can get food in her crop and other times she just doesn't.

 

[Cellomama2]

Just finished the video and that does make sense with trimming the beak so I think I'll give that a try. I did have to trim the other scissor beak chicken's beak so at least that won't be a new endeavor. I've been trying the mashed up food and she wants nothing to do with it. I've even sprinkled the dry food over the wet and once she realized the wet food in there she won't go for it anymore and it doesn't help that the other two are the same way with the wet food.

 

[Cellomama2]

The filing didn't do much for the shape because of the quick and her bottom jaw is getting worse. I think I've figured out a feeder, forth prototype, that's working because she actually had some food in her crop when I fed her this morning at least.
Day 15 and we are up to 136 grams from day one at 67 grams so there is progress.

 

[MOpalB]

I have 3 cross beaks, 1 parrot beak, and a blind hen. Yes, I adopt the ones that most people don't want. They have their own pen and I only let them out to free range when I am out there with them. They are more work than my other chickens but so worth it! I have 2 still in the house right now because they are still young. I take them out to get them used to the flock they will be adopted into. I was looking for suggestions on trimming the chicks beak that has the parrot beak deformity since this is the first time doing this type of trimming. The video of Elvis (Albert) is adorable!! I realize this is an older post but I was scrolling through and decided to leave a comment. These chickens can have healthy and happy lives. It just depends on how much time you are willing to put towards them. There are always people willing to adopt the unwanted chicks! Well, off to trim some beaks!