Trimming chicken beaks?

[Frizzledhen]

Dremel tool? How do YOU get your birds to stand still for that? I am pretty good with the dog toenail clippers, it is quick. To file or dremel seems like you would have to have a bird that co-operates!
Do you have someone help to hold the bird? If not, how do you hold the bird and hold the head still long enough to file the beak back? My 2 roosters do not cooperate at all. The only help that I have is the threat of the stew pot.

 

[Moriah]

I had to take Sammy to the vet to have her top beak trimmed almost half the way off as her bottom beak is growing out to the left side and the top beak was in the way of her eating. I just file it down with an emery board to keep it shorter. As for holding her still, I use a bandana folded into a triangle and wrap her snug like a burrito and she just lays there or goes to sleep.

I asked the vet about using a dremel file and he said not to because it will heat up too quickly and hurt the bird, that is why they don't use them when they have to do dental work on dogs.

 

[Frizzledhen]

Thank you Moriah. I will try wrapping the boys up so they don't squirm so much.
I hope Sammy is doing ok. It is wonderful that you take such great care of her.

 

[DLS]

My dad used to touch a hot soldering iron to the point of the top beak that singed it back & they would stop pecking each other The pecked each other so bad they would bleed. my birds don't seem to be picking each other till the bleed so I just let them go. the are free range & the beaks are rounded . I guess from pecking the dirt/

 

[the urban yard farm]

I have a chicken with deformed face . Her top beak is like a hook and the bottom one juts out aat a 45 degree angle so they never come together. Sence her mouth is never closed her toung has been drying out. I trim the dead part off. It is rather short now. She is 9 months old, eats and drinks fine although she is thin. I would like to trim her bek for her. I have filed it with an emery board but that takes for ever. Is there a way to use pet nail clippers with out risk of spliting the beak???

Raynell

 

[JennsPeeps]

I use nail clippers on my banty's beak. I just trim a little at a time and go slowly. She doesn't seem to mind and stays still. When I'm done, I file it smooth with an emery board. We call it her "beak-icure".

Here she is:

 

[calgal98]

My hens have been on a deep litter bed and their beaks were growing and splitting. I used my goat trimmers (hoof trimmers--very sharp) and trimmed a little bit at a time. They eat much better and the splits stopped.

 

[ich-knut]

I think I will have to try the human-toe-nail clipper and emery board to trim my bantam silkie's beak. The top part of the beak is shaping itself into a hook. I was thinking about buying the dremel but after reading the messages I will use what I have and see.

I hope it doesn't hurt too much when I just trim the tip. I will do it at night when they are a little bit more docile/sleepy.

 

[ERnoleGuy]

I have not had to do this, but has anyone tried using the Peticure or Pedipaws. You know that Dremel tool like thing for your dogs/cats nails. I have one that I use on my dogs and it works well. It doesn't spin nearly as fast as a Dremel does, and it never gets hot or anything. And it is surprisingly quiet. Seems to me like that would be perfect to "trim" a beak. What do you all think?

Oh, and I have no desire to trim my birds beaks. The do not need it. They do a fine job keeping their beaks just right all on their own. I just hate to see someone using a Dremel.

One wrong move and Ouch!

 

[silkiechicken]

It would probably work. If the birds have access to dirt, or even a few concrete pavers they can use to sharpen their beaks, they shouldn't need a trim.