Hi Everyone!

[ChicksinBoise]

This is my very first post and visit here. I was browsing thru the Coop design area for ideas...what a great site!!

We are a family of 3 who "rescued" 5, 10 month old Leghorn Hens from a local hatchery. They all have lost alot of feathers from Cannabalism and the hatchery put rings thru their noses that caused their lower beak to grow longer than the top. We removed the rings but are curious if anything can or should be done about the beaks.

When we got them they were so skiddish, scared and confused...poor things. But now they are settling in and seem to be very happy. Their favorite activity is to "dig in" a bit and sun bathe...very cute.

We are housing them temporarily in an old dog house with a 15 x 10 ft. Dog Kennel run, until I build their permanent coop. They could care less though as far as I can tell. They hop into the house at night and I close the door so the local raccoons and cats don't bother them.

Anywayyzzz...sorry for rambling. I was mainly curious about the beak issue. I will be visiting the Coop design area also for ideas. We will end up with between 6-10 chicken max.

Thanks!

 

[justusnak]

HI and welcome. Congrats on rescueing those poor hens. I have never heard of putting rings in thier noses??? Can you get a pic?? I know you said you have removed the rings...but pics would be good. I sure hope the beaks will grow out for them.
So, you say you only want 6 to 10 max?? HAHA!! Last year, I told DH, I only want 6 or 7, for eggs. We are now over 60!! Its an addiction...and I LOVE it.

 

[ChicksinBoise]

Quote:
Hi Deb and thanks for responding! I will try and get a pic tonight. Yeah, I would llike more also but we feel fortunate to be able to have ANY since we live right IN Boise city.

 

[justusnak]

So glad you could at least rescue those poor hens. I just love rescue stories. Makes my heart flutter....to know there are still good people out there.
Thats why DH and I are trying to open...Heavens Door Acres. Farm rescue.
Interested to see the pics....I hope the beaks can grow out.

 

[ChicksinBoise]

Here is a photo of two of the hens. As you can see, the bottom beak has overgrown the top. I think this is due to when they placed rings causing them not to be able to bite down all the way. Hopefully someone has ideas.
Thanks!

Link:

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g194/BoiseLifer/chicks.jpg

 

[MTchick]

You could take them to a vet to have the beaks trimmed to increase their comfort level. Once you watch a vet do it, I bet you could do it yourself in the future if it needed to be done again.

I lived in Boise for a few years- great city. I lived in the North End on North 11th.

You gotta put the pictures like this

to make them show up, by the way.

Here;

-MTchick

 

[BeckyLa]

Congratulations on your wonderful rescue and welcome to BYC!

Are you sure they are Leghorns? They seem too chubby to be Leghorns. As for their beaks, to be honest I don't know the first thing about beaks. But, you might want to do some research, like googling trimming bird beaks or something, to see if you could file or carefully clip back the bottom beak till it matches the top. Then let them grow out together.

 

[ChicksinBoise]

Thanks for the responses.

Yes, Boise IS a great city! The North End is a very nice area, real estate values there are out of control though.

Well, according to the hatchery, they are Leghorns...who knows though. I thought all white ones were Leghorns but that just shows you what a "Greenhorn" I am with chickens! ha haa Now that you mention it, they ARE laying brown eggs so that would prove your point.

What kind of chickens are they then?? Maybe a mix with some leghorn? What other breeds are white?

I may try filing them down a bit myself, can't be too dificult. I am going to probably wait another month until they get more comfortable though.

I have started building a coop. I am doing something similar to the Broughton 904 so we can move it around the yard. I will post pics in the coop section this weekend if I get that far.

 

[lacyloo]

welcome