Severe scissor beak

[Keonah]

I got my first batch of chicks and so far all has been going well except for one chick. She has scissor beak and it looks like it is getting worst by the week. At first it just looked like she had a small quirk and she would look kind of like she was a stroke victim but now I fear for her development. So far she has been growing right along with everyone else but as she grows her beak gets worst. I've attached a photo of what she looks like now. Should I wait to see if she slowly dies or fights through? Is this a really bad case or is she still a salvagable bird. I will say that today she had food stuck on her beak at the tip where I could see she tried to eat and some food just ended up stuck. What to do? Help?[GALLERY=][/GALLERY]

 

[Pyxis]

Is she eating and drinking on her own? If so, there's no need to put her down. Just never breed her, as this could have a genetic component. You may also try adding supplements to the water like Poultry Nutri Drench, just to give her a boost and help her. Make sure her food and water bowls are nice and deep so that she can get her beak way in there and scoop the food out.

If it gets so severe that she cannot eat or drink on her own, then you're looking at tube feeding her. At that point, you need to consider her quality of life and whether you are willing to do such a thing. If it seems she is suffering, then the kindest thing would be to humanely put her down. Don't let her suffer and die and slowly, that's much worse than being quickly and humanely culled.

 

[Keonah]

Is she eating and drinking on her own? If so, there's no need to put her down. Just never breed her, as this could have a genetic component. You may also try adding supplements to the water like Poultry Nutri Drench, just to give her a boost and help her. Make sure her food and water bowls are nice and deep so that she can get her beak way in there and scoop the food out.

If it gets so severe that she cannot eat or drink on her own, then you're looking at tube feeding her. At that point, you need to consider her quality of life and whether you are willing to do such a thing. If it seems she is suffering, or you don't want to always have a special needs chicken that you need to take care of, then the kindest thing would be to humanely put her down. Don't let her suffer and die and slowly, that's much worse than being quickly and humanely culled.

 

[Keonah]

She is still eating on her own. I'm watching her because I don't want her to suffer. I'm just afraid that with these being my first chicks I may not realize when it's getting bad. I read on a different thread that she will do better with nipple feeders for her water. Is that or deep water best?

 

[Pyxis]

Nipple waterers may be a good solution. I've never tried them, but it make sense, as you could have them up higher and she wouldn't have to try to raise her head to swallow the water. With scissor beak, when she raises her head up from drinking in a bowl, the water might just spill out of her beak. With the nipple waterers, if you put them at chest level or slightly higher, she wouldn't have to do that and she may be able to drink more easily from them.

 

[Keonah]

You make it sound like it's not such a big deal. Thanks. I have been watching her like she has a timer on her chest to her expiration date. I will supplement her water and try the chest high nipple waterer and hopefully this will keep her thriving. Will it still be ok for the other chicks to drink the supplement as well? They are all only about 3 weeks old? Thank you for the advice.

 

[Pyxis]

Nutri Drench is a good thing for any chick to have I have all my new guys on it for two weeks, and then I use it whenever I think anyone needs a boost. I even use it for adults if they seem a little off.

 

[hatchichickens]

If she is eating and drinking she will be okay. I would not worry about needing to cull her.
here are a couple of good articles to help your chick:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/03/scissor-beak-aka-crossed-beak-what-it.html
http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2016/05/causes-and-treatment-of-scissor-or.html

 

[Folly's place]

She will need to eat crumble or mash, not pelleted feed, out of a deep dish, and water the same way. She won't be able to get goodies or food off the ground, so make sure your feeders are always full enough for her, or that there's that deep dish feeder available. Offer an all-flock or grower type ration rather than transitioning to a layer feed later, to give her the best quality feed, and with separate oyster shell. Egg laying is very hard work metabolically, so it can be difficult if she's a frequent egg layer. If it's a cockerel, he can have a short but good life. Mary

 

[PD-Riverman]

You make it sound like it's not such a big deal. Thanks. I have been watching her like she has a timer on her chest to her expiration date. I will supplement her water and try the chest high nipple waterer and hopefully this will keep her thriving. Will it still be ok for the other chicks to drink the supplement as well? They are all only about 3 weeks old? Thank you for the advice.

If you will do a few things she will be fine. My hen has a worse scissor beak than that---and she does good, lays about every day. I just have to remember I can not throw feed on the dirt because she can not pick it up----as far as water she never has a problem drinking out of a short bucket. She likes for me to wet some feed---kinda like mud, not to wet and I put it in a container kinda like a wide coffee cup so she can eat------if it spreads out she will not be able to get any of it---needs to stay tall. I have a j feeder I found that is only about 3 inches square and about that depth----she eats out of it all the time. I do have her and 2 other chickens(that has problems--crooked leg etc) in a pen by themselves----they do good. Not sure how they would do with the other chickens---not planning to find out---they are fine in their own place.