Twisted beak

[jtdiehl]

I have a hen with a very twisted beak. So far, she is thriving (she's six months old), but I wonder if the deformity will make it difficult for her to eat in the future. I will try to attach a photo so I can get some opinions on what to do for her. Thank you for your help!

 

[chickerdoodle]

I have a hen with a wicked cross beak who would've starved to death as she couldn't eat enough without help. I feed them a moist mash (layer mash) every day. I also bought a special trough that is deeper and wider (17" Dura Trough) for the 5 girls. She gets a big full crop every day with this regimen and is top of the pecking order!

 

[jtdiehl]

Thank you. I had considered making her some kind of moist mash. She seems to be able to pick up scratch if I put it on top of the shavings in the coop. I think I will make her some special treats with some oatmeal and strawberries... just to give her some extra nourishment.

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

If she is a pet and important to you I would definatly make sure you feed her a special blend of mash, you will need to do this her whole life as these problems dont get better. I also suggest not to breed from her as this is a birth defect. I tried this once and it was so time consuming we had no choice but to cull, However if you got the time to invest in her then Do so but she will need your help the older she gets the harder it will get on her.

 

[Tropical Chickies]

I have a cross beak too! He was gifted to me from a breeder. I trim his beak with toenail clippers when it grows long and feed him from a deep dish. He has no problems eating from the dish, but cannot really eat scratch or anything from the ground. He has really filled out well and has a great disposition and is one of my best looking silkies.

I wish he wasn't a cross beak, because I would definitely use him in my breeding program. So, he is just a pet! He is much more friendlier than my other silkie roo's and I have even considered using him as a therapeutic chicken for visiting nursing home residents. He really had an impact on our family friend who is 89 years old.

Best of luck

 

[vtchickenlvr]

I have a twisted beak hen,too! Her twist isn't quite as severe as yours appears to be, but she is at the bottom of the pecking order. I was very concerned about her at first, but I watched closely and I saw that she uses her tongue alot when she eats. I think that I will buy a bag of mash next time instead of the pellets,though, as it might be easier for her. She is almost a year old and we just trimmed her beak today using a nail file.

 

[jtdiehl]

I considered trimming her beak to make it easier for her to eat. Any suggestions on how to do it? I certainly don't want to cause her more discomfort. My girls are definitely important to me, and I consider them pets. Input is definitely appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Tropical Chickies]

Quote:
Trimming the beak is a must. Gather up some toenail clippers and hold her steady. It doesn't hurt them at all as long as you don't cut into the quick. You will see an outline around the edge of the beak and you don't want to cut into the colored part. Cut each side of the beak, top and bottom. Then file into a v-shape with a really thick nail file. This should be done on a regular basis to make it easier for her to eat and drink. My silkie also uses his tongue a lot I noticed. I have had him for 7 months now and haven't had any problems with him getting enough to eat and drink. Trimming will just be another job to add to your to do list, hehe!! What's another task I say...bring it on.

Good luck

 

[jtdiehl]

Thank you! I trimmed her this morning. She seems to be doing great! Thank you all for the input!

 

[Tropical Chickies]

Glad to hear