Separated beaks

[CCDC]

I am a 1st time chicken owner and have used the internet for most of the information I've needed due to poor support from the farm store where I bought them. (Thank you BYC!)
The chicks are approx. 6 weeks old (+/-) - a Rhode Island Red and a Barred Rock.
I am concerned about both their beaks. There appears to be an abnormal gap in both birds' beaks, although they aren't significantly mis-aligned.

Here are pics when they were about 2 weeks old. Both beaks seem fine.




At about 3 weeks, they started to have significant accumulations of mash cemented to their beaks - the "Red" (Ren) more so than the "Rock" (Stimpy). I tried unsuccessfully to dislodge the clumps - they were like concrete and I was afraid I'd hurt the chick if I exerted enough force to scrap it off. The beak seemed to still close pretty well at this point. Eventually, Stimpy's beak stayed clean most of the time, but Ren continued to have clumps.



They are about 6 weeks now - just guessing, and they both have significant gaps between their beaks.




They also seem a little small based on pictures I've seem of others at the same age. They are alert, active and seem to be content, but, I'm concerned they're not getting the nutrition they need. You can still see a clump of mash in Ren's beak.

Compared to some beak deformities I've seen on this site in the last few minutes, these seem relatively minor, however, if it's something I did or didn't do for them, I'd like to know so I don't make the same mistake in the future.

Thanks for your help!
CC

 

[fried green eggs]

Hi. Glad you joined us. I think this is a case of poor breeding and not anything you have done. I would think twice before buying from the same source again. You may be able to use a small dremmel to sand off the tip of the beak a bit or you could put a parrot filing stone in and maybe they will do it themselves?

 

[CCDC]

Thank you for responding so quickly. I appreciate your suggestion and will find a stone tomorrow. I've seen them "stropping" their beaks on the floor of their crate, so they just might "fix" it themselves.
This had been quite an adventure! I don't think I'll ever try to raise chickens in a crate in the house again. The guy was so insistent that this was the perfect time However, we've had such cold temps and so much snow, that it will be another month at least before they can go outside. The coop is going up in the garage and we'll hope, with two heat lamps, that they'll be ok.

 

[fried green eggs]

I have day old chicks that just got moved this evening to a very large plastic storage tub in our spare bathroom this evening. Next week these will get moved to my mostly enclosed outside brooder. I have two brooders set up in my un-heated sun room off my garage. I had to make some modifications to one of them for winter use. When chicks get feathered out some - two heat-lamps in it will be too hot for them to sit under them for long so, I swapped one heat lamp to a 75 watt black light (left over halloween decoration) When it's >20* The area outside of the lamps stays 80-90 degrees. The brooder has a wire bottom with a metal tray to catch dropping but, with it being winter - I laid heavy plastic on top of the wire and taped some old outside christmas lights to the metal tray so, the chicks have a heated floor in the brooder. I also put a string of christmas lights in a PVC pipe with caps on the end and plugged it in so they have something warm to lay against. On the really cold nights I put a blanket over it and then they stay warm. The thing you really have to watch is where are the chicks hanging out - Is it right under heat and are they piled up, to stay warm or is it as far away from the heat as they can be. Check on them often. I like having several ways to help them stay warm - incase a bulb burned out on one of the heat lamps. Good Luck.

 

[CCDC]

Wow! Very imaginative and very impressive!
Thanks again for the ideas/advice.

 

[fried green eggs]

Glad I could give you some ideas. Good Luck with your new chicks.