Severe crossbeak

[LadiesAndJane]

This chick just hatched, or should l say, I cracked her out, as she could not hatch on her own with this beak. Is there any hope for her? I am willing to give it a try. I have read cross beak chicks survive, but the beaks can get worse with time. Hard to imagine her beak will get worse then this.
Looks like she is missing an eye as well. Poor thing.
Anybody out their with similar experiences? Thanks!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

This chick just hatched, or should l say, I cracked her out, as she could not hatch on her own with this beak. Is there any hope for her? I am willing to give it a try. I have read cross beak chicks survive, but the beaks can get worse with time. Hard to imagine her beak will get worse then this.
Looks like she is missing an eye as well. Poor thing.
Anybody out their with similar experiences? Thanks!View attachment 2217142View attachment 2217143

Anyone?

 

[Comptchechickens]

I currently have a rooster with a cross beak, but you couldn’t tell when he hatched. Mine usually do ok, with a bit of trouble eating. Mixing it’s food with a little water might make it easier for the chick to eat

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I currently have a rooster with a cross beak, but you couldn’t tell when he hatched. Mine usually do ok, with a bit of trouble eating. Mixing it’s food with a little water might make it easier for the chick to eat

Thank you! Looks like she may survive with some assistance. I am worried the other chicks will bully her, so I am keeping her separate for now. I may buddy her up with one of my super sweet silkie chicks, so she has a friend.
Seems like it is worth a try anyway!
I let the breeder know (I bought hatching eggs) as likely genetic birth defect. She is a silver laced orpington. Her sibling came out just fine.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Poor thing, that really is severe. If there's a missing eye too there's a possibility that there's brain damage due to the skull being misaligned/misshaped. If you have the time and patience to take care of a special needs bird, you can try, but I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't make it due to her issues.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Poor thing, that really is severe. If there's a missing eye too there's a possibility that there's brain damage due to the skull being misaligned/misshaped. If you have the time and patience to take care of a special needs bird, you can try, but I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't make it due to her issues.

Thanks I figure she may not. We are the rescuing type in our family and have raised many a baby wild bird back to health (and equally many have died despite our efforts). We just tried under close supervision putting her with our sweetest (and also lowest in the pecking order) 5 week old silkie chick and her mothering instincts must be strong, because she nuzzled the new chick and let the chick snuggle up under her. Really was the dearest thing to see.

 

[Orion ZyGarian]

It's probably too early to tell for sure, but please keep us posted. There's many others on the forums that raise happy and healthy special needs chicks, and it's heartwarming to see them thrive!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

It's probably too early to tell for sure, but please keep us posted. There's many others on the forums that raise happy and healthy special needs chicks, and it's heartwarming to see them thrive!

Thank you so much! I will definitely keep updates. So far she is taking food well, just egg yolk and water right now, but seems to be a survivor.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Poor thing, that really is severe. If there's a missing eye too there's a possibility that there's brain damage due to the skull being misaligned/misshaped. If you have the time and patience to take care of a special needs bird, you can try, but I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't make it due to her issues.

It's probably too early to tell for sure, but please keep us posted. There's many others on the forums that raise happy and healthy special needs chicks, and it's heartwarming to see them thrive!

Thank you so much, I took the poor dear to our vet on the third day and had her euthanized. She was not able to eat or drink even though I was feeding her. She was having trouble breathing, She was really suffering. I suspect she may have had some esophageal birth defects as well. It was really very sad, but I could not watch that poor little thing starve to death.

 

[LDev]

Thank you so much, I took the poor dear to our vet on the third day and had her euthanized. She was not able to eat or drink even though I was feeding her. She was having trouble breathing, She was really suffering. I suspect she may have had some esophageal birth defects as well. It was really very sad, but I could not watch that poor little thing starve to death.

You did the right thing for her, you gave her as good a shot as you could x