Hi,
I just got chicks, first time, this May. And now I have a 4-1/2 mo Ameraucana (EE, probably) who does a very slight scissoring with her lower beak when she eats. It's barely perceptible, but I think it's a little different from how her 4 other flock members use their beaks when they are eating. Normally, she holds both upper & lower beaks straight together - no gap or overlap. I checked around for posts about how beaks should perform when eating, but I've only found crossed beak and scissor beak problems, and she doesn't have anything that looks like an overlap or gap.
She is the flock's most timid member; she often has treats taken from her or misses them b/c she doesn't see them before the others do. I blame her beard and ear feathers for this - they may impede her view. She started out as the biggest chick but now she's near the bottom of this flock in size. Still she's good-sized, looks really healthy, glossy feathers, her crop is pretty full when she eats, I'm just nervous about what may happen in the future, that's all. My husband says this is something he doesn't think anyone else visiting them would notice. It's just me - since I spend so much time staring at them!
Still I wonder, is it normal for some chickens to move their lower jaw just a very teeny bit, side to side, when they eat? I have an appt. with an avian vet in a couple days, to bring her in & try to find out more. But, I thought I'd run it past this group to see if anyone here has some advice or knowledge about this.
Thanks,
Meg
I just got chicks, first time, this May. And now I have a 4-1/2 mo Ameraucana (EE, probably) who does a very slight scissoring with her lower beak when she eats. It's barely perceptible, but I think it's a little different from how her 4 other flock members use their beaks when they are eating. Normally, she holds both upper & lower beaks straight together - no gap or overlap. I checked around for posts about how beaks should perform when eating, but I've only found crossed beak and scissor beak problems, and she doesn't have anything that looks like an overlap or gap.
She is the flock's most timid member; she often has treats taken from her or misses them b/c she doesn't see them before the others do. I blame her beard and ear feathers for this - they may impede her view. She started out as the biggest chick but now she's near the bottom of this flock in size. Still she's good-sized, looks really healthy, glossy feathers, her crop is pretty full when she eats, I'm just nervous about what may happen in the future, that's all. My husband says this is something he doesn't think anyone else visiting them would notice. It's just me - since I spend so much time staring at them!
Still I wonder, is it normal for some chickens to move their lower jaw just a very teeny bit, side to side, when they eat? I have an appt. with an avian vet in a couple days, to bring her in & try to find out more. But, I thought I'd run it past this group to see if anyone here has some advice or knowledge about this.
Thanks,
Meg
