Utah!

[iPickYupik]

Thanks. Just let me know and I will talk to my daughter about it when she gets home from school. I joined a crossbeak care group but mine looks a lot worse than theirs did at this age.

 

[RJSorensen]

When you buy your chicks, you should have the right to view them, to ensure you are not buying into a problem that no one wants or needs. So while the birds are in the little box or whatever they send them home with them in, stop and go through them, check for crossed beaks and such. You do not have to purchase birds that are not up to par. They can not make you take them… it is a disservice to the whole concept of backyard chickens, to foster substandard birds on those do not know of, and or have not been made aware of these disabling conditions.

I very much dislike what I see at the local farm stores with chicks. They catch the four to six birds you wish, put them in a closed top box and send you out the door. Folks should ought to be able to return 'bad' birds for credit or another. The trauma caused by this is wholly unneeded and in absolutely no way necessary for the bird keeper to endure. It is just plain wrong on all levels. When you mail order birds from one of the hatcheries, you may find from time to time birds with problems, and that is just how that is. But buying local and only one or two or what have you, there is no need to take home problems.

As noted prior, I don't want defective birds in my flock. I don't want to sell defective birds to you, or anyone else, I won't even give them away. There is an implied guarantee at a minimum, that the new birds you get have a fair chance to make it. Understand, you can still lose birds, and at times for no reason at all, it would seem. This is just part of the dynamics of raising poultry. But some defects are visible early on, and can be avoided.

Sorry 'bout your chick.

RJ

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

I agree with RJ again...and also if you order by mail they credit you for all chicks that don't survive the first 14 days or have problems, so definitely I would ask for a refund from where you got this little one. You can't but help feel sorry for them, but that decision should never have to be yours when buying them from someone else.

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

Thanks. Just let me know and I will talk to my daughter about it when she gets home from school. I joined a crossbeak care group but mine looks a lot worse than theirs did at this age.

Messaged you, if you decide to cull it we would be glad to help

 

[iPickYupik]

With this being our first time getting chicks, I was looking for pasty butt and nasal discharge but that was it. We didn't notice that her beak started crossing until a few days after we got them. Here's a pic the day we got her and looking back, I wouldn't have been able to tell even now that I know to look for it. It was so slight. Poor lil Peep. It's hard to believe it changed so drastically in a weeks time!

 

[littlerockflowr]

Aw shoot, iPickYupik! I'm sorry about your poor chick.

 

[RJSorensen]

While we are on the topic of chick ailments, crooked toe, splayed legs and wry neck along with the noted crossed beak, are three more to avoid if you possibly can. Perhaps the 'sages' can expound on this list. Raising animals is fraught with dangers unseen and often unknown until, well, you experience it.

RJ

 

[Cynthia12]

I am one to fix splayed leg and crooked toes. But, I don't keep the cross beaks. So sorry you have to do this iPick..

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

Seems like splayed leg is more of an injury than a birth defect---crooked toes can be caused by wrong incubator temps so not really handed down through the genes (sometimes). I kind of go with my gut on those, I have fixed plenty of toes with the "electric tape boots" by the fashion designer Cynthia...hee hee Cross beak is just not so fixable. I just got this little chick from Ipick--sad looking little thing. Definitely would cull if it were mine.
Oh yes and the bandaid garter belt...is in the same fashion line

 

[Sambi89]

I have a rooster I rescued (the one with the collar) who has crooked toes. The middle on both feet is curved inward. He can still hop into the trees and roost. He scratches and mates fine. He's never acted like it bothers him but I never tried to correct it either.