To cull or not to cull...

[Cindiloohoo]

Okay I hatched a turkey poult that has very obvious issues, but I am wondering how hard it would be to raise it on up anyway. It was hatched with one eye, nothing on the right side. But it also has crossbeak. I do think it will be able to eat, but may not thrive. Anyone have any experience with how severely crossbeak handicaps a bird as far as nutrition? If it was just the eye, there would be no problem. If it never had an eye, it won't know what it is missing, but would have to have a little special treatment to accomodate. The crossbeak has got me wondering if it is even feasible to try to raise the little thing though. I have no experience trying to raise one like this. Wondering if I should juct cull. Either way this bird will never be bred, but would it do okay is my question?

 

[bobbi-j]

I've never had experience with a cross-beak bird, so I'm of no help whatsoever. If you want to give it a try, you'll know in a few days whether or not it will be able to eat, or if it will thrive and then you can make your decision. I usually like to give an animal a chance if I can. I know that there are times when the kindest thing would be to just put the animal down, but sometimes you can pull them through without them suffering too much. I'll be interested in knowing how it turns out.

 

[Babe77]

When our girls were smaller, we did have one that we named "Miss Beak". She did okay at the beginning until her sisters got larger and bossier to her. She did get picked on more than the others. We ended up having to feed/watering her separate from the others due to them eating out of her dish (smaller deep dog dish) so that she could scoop out her food. As time went on, she got skinnier and skinnier from lack of food and treats. We gave her to a neighbor farmer who said he would take care of her for us, never asking what that meant for her but we could not cull her ourselves. But I have heard of others who have had no problem raising one with a crossed beak.

 

[ramirezframing]

My avatar is a crossedbeak, you'll need deep food and water dishes. Probably their own eating spot so they eat eat when ever it likes, peepers eat often and acts straved. Peepers only eats whole corn and chick starter. He won't touch the other stuff. You'll prob have to keep the beak trimmed some. Good luck oo Peepers is a year old, doing great and has other issuses as well as the crossed beak.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

UGH..I can't really seperate her, and with all the animals I have and all of the things I am responsible for here...no way will I have time to really baby one either. I don't think she is eating anyway, I have been watching most of the day for her to go to the food or water and have only seen her stumble around a bit and fall back asleep. I'm thinking she has deeper issues than just what I can SEE. I do NOT want her to suffer either. Guess at this point it would be best to cull. No point in waiting for the poor little thing to starve to death. That would be awful

Thanks all for your responses. I was hoping she'd eat, and maybe be able to eat normally, but from what I have seen so far(she's 48+ hours old now)she will not. It's just a matter of hours before her yolk sac is no longer giving her nutrition. I'm gonna put her out of her misery, I don't really see any ther options here

 

[Babe77]

I am sorry that you have to go through this, it is heart wrenching when we have to make decisions like this.