Um, are my 1 week old's beaks supposed to be falling off?!?!

[sparkles2307]

We hatched 3 bantam cochins, 1 bo/rir, and one mystery chick 2 weekends ago. This morning, when DH was checking things over, he hollered for me to come right away, and when I got to the brooder he was holding one of the cochins....whose top beak was broken off! We checked the other 2 of his breed, and one seems fine but the other one looks like his beak is... i dont know, disintegrating almost??? The rir/bo chick is fine, nothing looks out of the ordinary. And the other chick died in the night, we didnt think he'd make it as he was s sickly baby to begin with. Anyways, could this be caused by them eating the higher protein feed the guinea's are eating??? Thats all I can think, but then wouldnt all of the chicks be affected? Is it a genetic issue? And most importantly, what do I do for this chick!?

 

[georgialee]

Is all of it's top beak gone? If so, I don't think it will be able to eat and you would have to cull it. I have never heard of that happening before unless some type of trauma was involved. Poor little thing! Hopefully someone else will come along with some better advice. It might help if you can post a picture.

 

[Mahonri]

This is a new one for me... can you use a hard non colored nail polish to strengthen the one that hasn't fallen off?

Without an upper beak it will die and it's best for you to cull it early.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[sparkles2307]

I thought we would have to cull the one who already broke, good idea on the nail polish, I will try that... poor babies! I lean more toward a genetic problem, as the thicks who dont have the same parentagea s these cochins dont seem to have this issue...

 

[sparkles2307]

No one else has an idea? DH is freaking out at me over this, accusing me of somehow causing this... he says I use bad feeders... I use the red plastic ones and the metal ones with the top that slides off... I dont see how the feeder can cause the beak to come off!

 

[toletiquesbysam]

It's not the feeders!! Sorry, wish I had more answers for you!

 

[Camelot Farms]

Quote:
Could they possibly be catching their beaks on the lip of the metal tray?

 

[sparkles2307]

No, the feeding holes are big enough and the chicks are tall enough that I dont see how they could be catching their beaks like that, and how would a teeny chick be strong enough to break his own beak off?

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Sounds like some sort of freaky genetic defect. The beak is made of protein, are they consuming enough protein? If I remember right, Cochins are a slower growing breed, so it would almost have to be something genetic I would think. I hope the nail polish idea works! Poor chicks, that's just strange!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Is the entire top beak gone? Can you post a picture?

I also cannot imagine a chick's beak falling off. Any wire (hardware clothe) that it could have gotten its beak stuck in?


It is not from too high a protien. Not sure what % you are feeding, but I feed 20% protien (flock raiser) - I do not feed any type of "chick starter".