Scissor beak

[The_Flock]

Hi Peeps!! I didn't really know where to put this post as it's not really an emergency. ☺ I have an Olive Egger who has a scissor beak. She's almost 3 and has managed quite well with it and me trimming it periodically. But lately, and I'm guessing because of getting older, her beak has been growing fast and the quick part of her beak is getting longer. I was wondering if anybody has heard of a treatment for this. Like can I get her beak chopped quite a bit back and then cauterize it? I'm not normally a person who would do that but her beak really needs to be cut back.
Thank you for any help. You're all awesome!!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I don't have a definitive answer for you on a one time, snip it and stop the bleeding kind of treatment, but if the quick is like in a dogs toenails I would think if you trim it close to the quick it should start to recede and then trim it again, repeating about once a week until it's a more comfortable length. I've done that with with dogs nails many times when they're overgrown.

 

[The_Flock]

I don't have a definitive answer for you on a one time, snip it and stop the bleeding kind of treatment, but if the quick is like in a dogs toenails I would think if you trim it close to the quick it should start to recede and then trim it again, repeating about once a week until it's a more comfortable length. I've done that with with dogs nails many times when they're overgrown.

Thank you for your response.
I hear you, I was hoping the same too. But it doesn't seem to be going that route. Lol. It did for a while but now it seems to need a trim every couple of weeks. I'll do it, by all means, but was hoping for something a bit more long term. She's not very comfy with me going so close to the quick or with trimming it so often. And I've noticed she's lost a bit of weight. I'm thinking it's because she's so sensitive from her quicks being so exposed most of the time and she doesn't want to peck things. If it could be done once and left for a while then maybe she'd eat more. But I'm really not sure.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Thank you for your response.
I hear you, I was hoping the same too. But it doesn't seem to be going that route. Lol. It did for a while but now it seems to need a trim every couple of weeks. I'll do it, by all means, but was hoping for something a bit more long term. She's not very comfy with me going so close to the quick or with trimming it so often. And I've noticed she's lost a bit of weight. I'm thinking it's because she's so sensitive from her quicks being so exposed most of the time and she doesn't want to peck things. If it could be done once and left for a while then maybe she'd eat more. But I'm really not sure.

Bummer, I was hoping it would work like toenails. I could see how that would be uncomfortable too. If nothing else I know that moistening food makes it easier for them to pick up. I cared for a little crossbeak for a friend for a while. You can also use a little coconut oil in a mix of wet crumble and this will give the mash more substance so that you can roll it into small pill shaped logs to hand feed for a bit to get more food into her.
Do you have a local vet that will see chickens? That's my only other thought as far as trying to mend the beak in one go.

 

[The_Flock]

Bummer, I was hoping it would work like toenails. I could see how that would be uncomfortable too. If nothing else I know that moistening food makes it easier for them to pick up. I cared for a little crossbeak for a friend for a while. You can also use a little coconut oil in a mix of wet crumble and this will give the mash more substance so that you can roll it into small pill shaped logs to hand feed for a bit to get more food into her.
Do you have a local vet that will see chickens? That's my only other thought as far as trying to mend the beak in one go.

You and I are on the same wavelength as I'm making soft food with a splash of vitamins for her right now. Lol.
Luckily I do have a vet that will see chickens. He's not very educated in them though. Lol. But I think I'll make the call to see about it anyway.
Thank you so much.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

You and I are on the same wavelength as I'm making soft food with a splash of vitamins for her right now. Lol.
Luckily I do have a vet that will see chickens. He's not very educated in them though. Lol. But I think I'll make the call to see about it anyway.
Thank you so much.

Good luck! I hope everything works out for your feathered friend!

 

[The_Flock]

Good luck! I hope everything works out for your feathered friend!

Thank you very much.

 

[The_Flock]

Let me put a face to a post. This is Cosmo my girl with scissor beak. You can see her plumage is gorgeous and her cross beak is not very bad at all. I just trimmed it today. She's so sweet and knows her name better than the rest. Lol.
The last pic is Grace my cochin. She just wanted to photobomb. Haha!!!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Let me put a face to a post. This is Cosmo my girl with scissor beak. You can see her plumage is gorgeous and her cross beak is not very bad at all. I just trimmed it today. She's so sweet and knows her name better than the rest. Lol.
The last pic is Grace my cochin. She just wanted to photobomb. Haha!!!

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They're both beautiful! And you're right, her beak isn't very bad at all, you've done a great job maintaining it over the years!

 

[The_Flock]

They're both beautiful! And you're right, her beak isn't very bad at all, you've done a great job maintaining it over the years!

Thank you very much. I really appreciate it. That's a wonderful thing for me to hear. ☺