Scissor Beak Polish

[Rachel TW]

I think moving one of your smaller coops in the big run is a wonderful idea. If your chicken is stressed from isolation, he won't eat. Being in the same area should work perfectly.

If your chicken realizes you are handling him to feed him, I suspect he won't be aggressive. That's how mine worked out at least - she was the worst at being handled (not aggressive but she would freak out) and now she's docile as long as it's me, the food lady. It took some time to get here.

Here is a YouTube video of a woman trimming a chicken beak that I found helpful my first time -

You can use a dremel, dog nail clippers, or human nail clippers. We rarely clip our girl's beak because she is able to eat mash fine with it a little long, but it just depends on the individual bird.

There also is an excellent Cross Beak support thread on this forum here. I tried to search for it, but for some reason when I click on search an Error is coming up, but it's a thread for special needs chickens that ended up being almost exclusively about cross beaks.

I did find a summary of the support thread through google: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...kens-including-tube-feeding-techniques.64321/

 

[Jessi.Smith]

Thank you!!!!

 

[Amer]

I had a bird like that. During the winter... (born in late May) he started growing weaker and fading then his comb turned purple, and he could barely move, he wasted away, and then he died. I think of breathing problems, you see, his comb was purple from lack of oxygen in his blood.

 

[Rachel TW]

Here is also a fun video on feeding mash. This woman grinds the crumbles up further for her chicken with a coffee grinder, but I've never heard of anyone else needing to do that.

There also is a Facebook group called CrossBeak Poultry in Motion where I've gotten some good tips.

 

[lilmillefleur]

We had a bantam polish with cross beak. Unlike yours however this one could not eat and was half the size of the other polish bantam. It was always distress chirping and never seemed to settle down. I felt so bad for it and honestly just wanted it to die.
We were going to humanely euthanize it at the vet but we were too late and it died the very day we scheduled the appointment.
Even if it did live, we just don’t have to time or energy to make special arrangements for it, since we are gone over most of the week.
I wish you luck with your chicken.

 

[Rachel TW]

So sorry to hear of your experience, puffypoo. Some cross beaks have more problems than just their beaks and never do thrive. And others require a lot of care to get them to learn how to eat. I'm very lucky that I work from home and have flexible hours so I was able to really work with mine.

I would like to point out for anyone else who reads this and doesn't have the time or inclination to care for their Cross Beaks, you can always try posting on the facebook page CrossBeak Poultry in Motion. There are a lot of people who love cross beaks and would love to adopt yours if you're in the same area. You will see on this page that people pamper these birds. I don't think they all get rehomed, but some of them do. It may at least be worth a try.

 

[OldEnglishGameBantam33]

I had a pullet with a crossed beak it was one of my first hens. We didn't find out she had it until it was too late. Foulpocks came over our flock and she was too weak and died.
RIP Freckles the chicken.

 

[Jessi.Smith]

I will keep an eye out for any breathing issues. After looking at Crossbeak Poultry in Motion, I don't think Monkey's crossbeak is that severe - some have bottom beaks that stick out completely to the side and they seem to do just fine. So hopefully that is good news for the little Monkey