Tube feeding thank you!

[EricasRun]

I don’t post a lot, but every time I have a chicken question, I can research the forum and find what I need. Thank you!!
Wanted to tell you all I have a Polish chick with severe cross beak. We have been feeding her a special mash 3 times a day, in addition to what she gets from the feeders and free-ranging. She still isn’t quite gaining weight like her sisters. Today, we tube fed her. She was so content after the feeding. I don’t think the poor girl had ever had a full crop. It was way easier than I thought. Hopefully, we will be able to figure out a way for her to eat better on her own in the future. Until then, thanks for being a great resource!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I don’t post a lot, but every time I have a chicken question, I can research the forum and find what I need. Thank you!!
Wanted to tell you all I have a Polish chick with severe cross beak. We have been feeding her a special mash 3 times a day, in addition to what she gets from the feeders and free-ranging. She still isn’t quite gaining weight like her sisters. Today, we tube fed her. She was so content after the feeding. I don’t think the poor girl had ever had a full crop. It was way easier than I thought. Hopefully, we will be able to figure out a way for her to eat better on her own in the future. Until then, thanks for being a great resource!

Can you post some photos of her?
I'm glad you found the tube feeding to be easy and that she seemed happy afterward.

Have you tried offering her wet feed in a deep dish?

 

[EricasRun]

Can you post some photos of her?
I'm glad you found the tube feeding to be easy and that she seemed happy afterward.

Have you tried offering her wet feed in a deep dish?

 

[EricasRun]

Thanks for responding. Yes, we give her moist crumbles and offer various deep dishes for her to try. We also offer fermented food to the flock and I have a deep dish for that too. am going to build a pvc feeder too because I think that might be deeper and easier for the dry feed.
Here is a pic. She is quite a bit smaller than her sisters.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

That's quite a severe cross beak. Wet feed is probably your best bet. The tube feeding will definitely help, but the question would be are you willing to do that daily for the rest of her life?

If you have an avian vet, you may want to speak with them about whether or not she would benefit from having the beaked trimmed or filed (shaped) a little shorter.

Birds that have deformities are often smaller, she may have other developmental problems arise as she get older, but you never know.
I would get a weight on her now so you can see if she's gaining now that you are tube feeding her. I think you are doing what you can for her.