Scissor Beak in almost 2-week old chick

[bruadarach]

I'm so sorry to hear that Carly is not doing well

It sounds like she's starting to fail. Tube feeding her is an option for you, but I think that would be from now on and would need to be done a few times a day - something to look into.

Quality of life does need to be considered and sadly, sometimes they do decline regardless of what we try. If you decide she is in misery and needs to be put down, depending on how large she is now, the article below (which is well written) is what I would choose to do (I do similar, but with a heavy knife). This method is for fairly small chicks. For older birds or large chicks, personally, I use cervical dislocation.

I really am sorry, I know it's hard. If she's in a panic over food, then she's not getting enough.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tube-feeding-q-and-a.1215032/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tube-feeding-info.799802/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-for-squeamish-people-slightly-graphic.74734/

Thank you, so so much. I really appreciate your response! Not having had chickens before, it’s hard for me to make the call. She was up and moving around (trying to eat) this morning when I checked, so she isn’t at the point where she is just sleeping all the time.

last night after I posted this, I put her and one of my other chicks who I know will be sweet to her into their original brooder for an hour. I left bits of banana, bread, and a deep dish with food/yogurt combo. They both came out with very messy feet. Not sure if Carly ate or not. I think I will try that again today for a bit and also try and get more egg in her. If she is really seeming to suffer in the next day or two, I’ll probably put her down.

before I got the big girls (pullets we have outside), I actually researched culling methods because I realized at some point, I would probably be in that position. I didn’t expect to be in this potion with a chick. I know sometimes they die, and I was prepared for that, but I assumed I would come in and find one dead one morning. Instead, they have all thrived, except for Carly with her deformity, and this is far more difficult to me than just finding one dead.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you, so so much. I really appreciate your response! Not having had chickens before, it’s hard for me to make the call. She was up and moving around (trying to eat) this morning when I checked, so she isn’t at the point where she is just sleeping all the time.

last night after I posted this, I put her and one of my other chicks who I know will be sweet to her into their original brooder for an hour. I left bits of banana, bread, and a deep dish with food/yogurt combo. They both came out with very messy feet. Not sure if Carly ate or not. I think I will try that again today for a bit and also try and get more egg in her. If she is really seeming to suffer in the next day or two, I’ll probably put her down.

before I got the big girls (pullets we have outside), I actually researched culling methods because I realized at some point, I would probably be in that position. I didn’t expect to be in this potion with a chick. ☹ I know sometimes they die, and I was prepared for that, but I assumed I would come in and find one dead one morning. Instead, they have all thrived, except for Carly with her deformity, and this is far more difficult to me than just finding one dead.

Having a buddy may help her. I hope she starts to improve.