Severe Cross Beak... feeding question

[pointsalamander]

Hi all:

A little month old Salmon Faverolle pullet landed on my doorstep. My children and I love her little self a lot and have named her Beaky.

Beaky does okay drinking on her own, but we are struggling with food. I have tried a deep dish with wet food. a deep dish with dry food. I don't feel anything in her crop. So I have been hand feeding her 2 or 3 times a day as I can fit it in.

But my question. is there a good resource for how many calories a chick/chicken needs by weight or something so I can try make sure that what I'm getting in her is adequate?

Or any suggestions on other methods to help her eat on her own? She only has 2 little friends and the food is never gone, so I know its not a competition

deal currently.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Some cross beaked birds do okay, others don't. It depends on the severity and which mandible is affected. Yours looks bad enough it may not be ever able to eat correctly. It looks to have a shortened lower beak?

 

[pointsalamander]

Some cross beaked birds do okay, others don't. It depends on the severity and which mandible is affected. Yours looks bad enough it may not be ever able to eat correctly. It looks to have a shortened lower beak?

It seems to be longer actually if I carefully try line them up. But it is definitely badly crossed....

 

[ShannonR]

Yeah, That's one of the bigger beak malformations I've seen.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It seems to be longer actually if I carefully try line them up. But it is definitely badly crossed....

Just going by your pictures, and the fact it doesn't eat much I would consider culling it and ending it's suffering. I had a cross beak silkie once that was feisty and happy and could eat without assistance. So some can be fine. I don't think yours will be unfortunately. Slowly starving to death is a hard way to go. Sorry.

 

[ShannonR]

I agree with the above post. Unless you wanted to commit to tube feeding this bird for the rest of its life. I get that the kids are attached and all, but.......

 

[pointsalamander]

Well so far 3 times a day. We just put food in her beak and she eats it. So I'm hoping she's learning with more energy.

She's very fiesty.

I'm sore if she doesn't get more efficient on her own we will have to reconsider her outlook on life. (And quite frankly feeding her is neither fun for her nor me)

But is there a chart of healthy weights for standard size chickens? I got a kitchen scale to see if whatwe are giving her is adequate for weight gain.

She's probably 5 weeks old and 100g today. And she seems to be enjoying life enough right now

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Well so far 3 times a day. We just put food in her beak and she eats it. So I'm hoping she's learning with more energy.

She's very fiesty.

I'm sore if she doesn't get more efficient on her own we will have to reconsider her outlook on life. (And quite frankly feeding her is neither fun for her nor me)

But is there a chart of healthy weights for standard size chickens? I got a kitchen scale to see if whatwe are giving her is adequate for weight gain.

She's probably 5 weeks old and 100g today. And she seems to be enjoying life enough right now

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Only you can properly judge it's quality of life. If it's feisty that give it a chance. It will be a long term commitment on your part if it makes it.

 

[pointsalamander]

Well sad update.

Beaky finally figured out the latest food dish. She happily filled filled her crop. Bathed in the sun.

She cuddled up with a full belly.

Little did we know that letting her fill her self came with the fact that she also filled her lungs. Beaky passed away tonight from aspiration pneumonia. She had a full stomach and was asleep in her favorite blaket on my husbands chest.

 

[CLovesDucks]

Well sad update.

Beaky finally figured out the latest food dish. She happily filled filled her crop. Bathed in the sun.

She cuddled up with a full belly.

Little did we know that letting her fill her self came with the fact that she also filled her lungs. Beaky passed away tonight from aspiration pneumonia. She had a full stomach and was asleep in her favorite blaket on my husbands chest.

So sorry for your loss