scissor beak

[Buff-Island-Australorp]

I too, have a cross beak Australorp. She is 3 weeks old. She is shorter than the rest of them, and actually seems to waddle like a duck with her feet pointed out. I know she has problems, but I feel she deserves a shot. She eats with the rest of them, and doesn't seem to be suffering any, although she is smaller.

 

[Cyberian]

I also have a hen with a severe scissor beak and I have found it VERY helpful for the chick if I saturate the mash with water until it gets to a wet, sticky consistency. It will stick in it's mouth and not be so dry to fall out. (I noticed that was happening prior to adding the water.) The other chicks love the moist mash as well. I clean out the mash well after a day as to not let it sit and get moldy. I am using the medicated crumbles, but ready to start on regular scratch and mash along with the great outdoors!
The chick is slightly smaller than the other two, but is energetic and holding her own, so far. I may have to supplement her diet regularly for the rest of her life, but it is SO worth it. She is such a sweetie....

 

[Niffer]

I have a scissor beak as well. My son named her beaky. She is a character. On the small end but doing well. I think she has figured out how to manage with it. We wet her food but lately she has not wanted the wet food so much so she must have figured out how to eat better with it. She is 12 weeks now. I will watch her I will take the advice given and trim her beak tho.she is sweet and such a character. We feed her blackberries and she loves them. She is worth the extra time she makes us all laugh. She hops up the porch stairs to say hi. If you have her food she chases you even if your not done making it. She's such a goof.

 

[Niffer]

Beaky is gone. we didn't expect the way she went. a hawk got her. she is missed but better than the chance of starving to death i guess. i will never forget what a great personality she had.

 

[gcbsmommy]

That is so sad! It was sweet that you gave her a good life, even though it was a short one. I have a scissor beak chick now - she is 3 weeks old and her beak is already VERY crooked. I picked her up today and she is much lighter than her brooder-mates (she looks about the same size as she has feathered out similarly, but underneath, she is quite small). She does seem to be slowly starving to death although I added a deeper feeder for her. I have never culled an animal before and I am not quite at that point but I hate to see her suffer.

 

[rachlore]

Oh my goodness! This is the first time I've heard of scissorbeaks and it's... it's really sad! I feel so sorry for those poor chickens!

 

[Bergere]

You don't want to breed scissor beaks....
No one is quite sure if it is genetic and or caused by incubator issues or both.

I end up culling any I get, as I free range my birds and they are unable to eat or drink properly.