NeedMoreChickems
Chirping
- May 21, 2023
- 14
- 13
- 54
I have a young(2-3 months) gamefowl (Asil/Hennie x Asil/?) cross. He was raised with 6 other chicks by 2 hens(5+ years old) After they hatched we put them in the brooder(3ft W x 8ft L x 2 1/2ft H) . This was the 3rd batch of chicks these hens gave us this year, so we decided to put the hens in with the chicks instead of keeping them separate. At approx 1 month old we noticed fighting in the brooder amongst some of the chicks and a couple had swollen heads. We removed the 3 with swollen heads, figured they just needed more room so we put the 1 Cockerel(bird pictured) 3 pullets and the 2 hens in a new pen (8ft L x 8ft W x 4 ft H). After separating the 3 with swollen heads into small rabbit hutches(3ft L x 2ft Hx 2 ft L) inside the house and inspecting, I deduced the swollen head was not from fighting but rather symptoms of swollen head syndrome. I treated them with some antibiotics I was given, they're in some middle eastern language. I then went to inspect the others with the hens and they were all in good shape. 2 weeks later they are healed and fine, outside in their own cages. That day I find the bird in question with his mouth slightly open and a very dirty, almost bloody looking head, looking like he was dehydrated and gasping for air. I pulled him, cleaned his head, found no visible injuries, but his top beak looked shorter than the bottom. His top beak was swollen, appearing to keep his mouth from closing all the way to the bottom. I assumed his symptoms were slower to show, so I proceeded with the same treatment as the others. He has been inside for a week and the swelling has gone down enough for him to close his mouth, and he is bouncing around, eating normally, begging to be pet, and trying to crow. But his beak is obviously not right. I would like to think I would have caught this when looking at the birds when first separating, but I am unsure. Is the beak having a difference in length caused by the illness or was he born like this and I didn't pay well enough attention to him? Will this cause him to suffer down the road? Will the beak correct itself if it was caused by the illness?
