Young Chick & Scissor Beak

[B_Chickle01]

Not sure if I’m posting this under correct subject so I apologize in advance. I have a young(almost)2 week old chick with scissor beak. I’ve been offering her mash just to be on the safe side to help her out and I think excess feed must be drying up on beak. How can I clean her up(if i even should) without hurting her? I gently tried wiping it with a wet tissue and she made a noise as if that hurt her. Is this normal? Last question is.. i feel like the severity of cross beak has progressed quite a bit in such a short period of time.. is that typical of a chick with cross beak? I attached photos of her beak to make sure it is actually feed dried up and to see if it did progress of if it’s just me worrying. Sorry this is my first time having a chick or chicken with scissor beak so any advice on caring for her would be greatly appreciated! First three were taken a couple hours ago.. last one was when I first got her.

 

[Smileybans]

That’s pretty severe but I’ve seen pictures of birds with severe cross beak. It looks like dried on food. Does she try and wipe the food off herself? If I have a bird that can’t clean its beak I just wipe the food off with a dry paper towel.

Sometimes with cross beak they can’t “file” their own beaks down. You may have to cut it or file it for her as she grows. Right now she looks okay. I would watch her for now and you can try something that was recommended to me with my Beakers. Try and align the beak, as best you can, and hold it there for a minute. Do this a couple times a day. Like physical therapy. I never tried this with Beakers but her cross beak wasn’t so severe. The cross beak might start to align its self or not be so severe over time with this physical therapy.

Beakers at about 8 weeks

 

[B_Chickle01]

That’s pretty severe but I’ve seen pictures of birds with severe cross beak. It looks like dried on food. Does she try and wipe the food off herself? If I have a bird that can’t clean its beak I just wipe the food off with a dry paper towel.

Sometimes with cross beak they can’t “file” their own beaks down. You may have to cut it or file it for her as she grows. Right now she looks okay. I would watch her for now and you can try something that was recommended to me with my Beakers. Try and align the beak, as best you can, and hold it there for a minute. Do this a couple times a day. Like physical therapy. I never tried this with Beakers but her cross beak wasn’t so severe. The cross beak might start to align its self or not be so severe over time with this physical therapy.

Beakers at about 8 weeks
View attachment 2668344

I felt like that was a big difference within a week! She doesn’t do too bad with regular crumble but just felt like i should offer mash just Incase. She made a noise as if I was hurting her so I stopped and figured I’d ask here! She does try herself i see her dragging beak side to side quickly just like the rest. My mom read people suggesting cuddlebones. Is that no good? I’ll try what you suggested. Beakers is adorable! I love the name! Does your flock pick on her or ever have? I was really fearful of this but believe it or not right now my little one is high on pecking order. She has such a big personality. I love her to death.

 

[Smileybans]

I’m not sure what you mean by cuddlebones. What would be done with them? My chicks have always loved mash but make a huge mess with it. I wouldn’t worry too much about cleaning her beak unless it’s getting into her nostrils. She’ll shake off the big stuff. I have a wry neck now that can’t clean his beak so I have to do it for him.

Beakers is anything but on the bottom of the pecking order. I read that cross beak chicks can’t peck so it’s okay to stick them in with sick chickens. I would not stick Beakers in with a sick chicken. Beakers is also a silkie and they’re supposed to be easy going. Beakers fights with everyone. She’s the smallest silkie I have and will take on my large fowl girls. I was surprised when I saw her chest bumping my marans and pecking at her. Luckily the rooster came over and gave the marans a good peck on the head. That broke it up fast. She won’t let any of the roosters mate with her either. She’s full of fire.

 

[B_Chickle01]

I’m not sure what you mean by cuddlebones. What would be done with them? My chicks have always loved mash but make a huge mess with it. I wouldn’t worry too much about cleaning her beak unless it’s getting into her nostrils. She’ll shake off the big stuff. I have a wry neck now that can’t clean his beak so I have to do it for him.

Beakers is anything but on the bottom of the pecking order. I read that cross beak chicks can’t peck so it’s okay to stick them in with sick chickens. I would not stick Beakers in with a sick chicken. Beakers is also a silkie and they’re supposed to be easy going. Beakers fights with everyone. She’s the smallest silkie I have and will take on my large fowl girls. I was surprised when I saw her chest bumping my marans and pecking at her. Luckily the rooster came over and gave the marans a good peck on the head. That broke it up fast. She won’t let any of the roosters mate with her either. She’s full of fire.

They’re like little stones to put in to help her file her beak. I’ve read people suggesting that. Her beak is sooo much worse! I have to file it i haven’t did it yet i was trying to read as much as i could about it..i do this with everything to be safe.. especially this because I’d feel awful if i hurt her! I noticed her mash seriously will get thick pretty quick like it dries super fast and i think she has a hard time with it. I’m assuming because every time she sees me she gets right up immediately will hop right up to watch me so she can peep in my face and then i fix her mash make it a little more watery for her and she goes right to it! I don’t notice her near her regular crumble or water. I’m sure she still tries i just may not see. But it’s like the water evaporates super fast! This literally happens every time i go see her and it’s not as watery. But your little Beekers gives me hope! I know what i got myself into but I just couldn’t not take her. I will keep trying until i see she’s not doing too hot. She seems to be right there with the rest of them as far as growth and feathering and she’s a fire cracker! Just like your girl! I read how they can be picked on and i was like oh boy but just like ur girl i watched her and she doesn’t take no shit and i saw her watching the others the first day and immediately started copying them. Her and my other one always compete. One will fly up on one of their little houses in there she’ll watch her then she boom right up there like beat it it’s my turn seriously i knew she’s my special girl and she’s going to give it hell. Going to attach photo of her now for you to see. Just took this. Her mash makes a mess too that’s what’s all over her chest in photo. She just got done eating. Hope you can see ok. She wasn’t happy and all my photos were big white blurrs from her flapping around.

 

[Smileybans]

I know with a cross beak that bad they kind of have to scoop the food an water into their mouth. I know when I posted about Beakers @Dragonfly Farm and @Docdetective helped me out too. They had chicks with more severe cross beak than Beakers.

 

[Dragonfly Farm]

Well, my scissor beak, Beakie, is now one year old. Her veterinarian says she has never seen as severe a condition as Beakie (I don’t want to be my vet’s most interesting, ever, with any of my creatures!) I have settled on a good menu for Beakie. In the blender, I put roughly a cup of layer crumbles, a cup of dry mealworms, a cup of soaked raisins and about a quart of water. Whizz it up and serve it in a deep bowl. B is strong, she keeps up with the sisters although one is a bully to her, she lays an egg at least every other day, sometimes every day. I give her a shower in the sink a couple of times a week as the dribbling down her front is gross. I used to add all sorts of veg/fruit to her smoothies but if I put something in she didn’t like, that would be that and I’d have to begin again. As far as I know and my vet confirmed, there is no correcting these beaks. My last chickens lived into their teens-if Beakie does that, I’ll be making smoothies till I’m 80....

 

[Patriceinil]

This is Cindy-Lou and she is almost 3 weeks old. She has a severe cross beak but she seems to be able to eat and drink fairly well.

I have to wet her crumbles and let her eat by herself for a while so the other 2 chicks don’t force her out of the wet food dish.

I was wondering if she wouldn’t be better with some wet pellets instead of the crumbles? She might have an easier time picking up a larger piece of food instead of the tiny crumbles.

She’s quite feisty and will fly up and sit on the edge of the tote when she wants to come out for some one on one time with me or to eat by herself.

She weighs quite a bit less than the cockerel and other pullet that are the same ages.

I got them on June 4th from Blain’s Farm & Fleet who ordered them from Cackle Hatchery. I had originally only ordered the cockerel and was given the 2 pullets so that he had a better chance of surviving than by himself.

I noticed her beak start to cross after the first week and it has become extremely crossed the older she has gotten.

I tried holding her beak to realign it but she doesn’t like me to mess with her beak.

My concern is how she will fair during the winter months when her food will freeze because of the extreme cold temperatures. I live in northern Illinois and we get some pretty severe cold temperatures and nasty winter weather.

 

[Dragonfly Farm]

Hi. In the winter, you can put her wet food into an electric plug in dog dish.

 

[Patriceinil]

Hi. In the winter, you can put her wet food into an electric plug in dog dish.

Thank you Dragonfly Farm, I had thought of that but think it will probably still freeze up. I did pick up a large 5 quart electric dog dish for water for the flock and a small electric dish for her food already.

Does your Beakie stay out with your flock full time or is she more of a pet chicken now?