Chick developing cross beak- what to do??

[cnielsen]

This is my chick, Princess Consuela (kudos if you know what show her name is from lol).


It is nearly impossible to see in the pictures, but in person it appears that she is showing early signs of cross beak/scissor beak. she is growing her feathers about a day slower than her sisters, and the bottom of her beak goes off to the side barely, her mouth is never fully closed.
we got them about a week ago from the grange, and she is an easter egger (i hear this genetic disorder is common for them).
she eats and drinks plenty, is spunky, and very sweet. i know that the crossing will get worse as she grows, but i’ve never dealt with it before.
are there any ways to prevent cross beak from getting worse? and if not how can we maintain it for her as she grows so she can adapt and thrive?

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Well this is what I did with a crossbeak EE (Marvalo I, not Marvalo II) that I had a few years back. I had braces at the time and I was told that Marvalo's beak was going to keep growing because the top and bottom doesn't line up. When the top and bottom is lined up, the bird will naturally keep their own beak down, but Marvalo wasn't going to be able to do that. So her beak was going to have to be trimmed, and I knew nothing about that at the time. So, everyday I went out there, grabbed Marvalo and pushed her beak opposite ways, so she could grind down her own beak. By the time I stopped doing that everyday, you could barely tell that she even had crossbeak. Now this worked for Marvalo, but I don't know if you'd want to try it or not. I suggest doing something like braces for your chick, but as she grows, you'll have to keep up with her.

If you don't want to try constantly relining her beak up until she stops growing, you can just trim her beak. I have these white finger nail clippers that I use that I think it's brand is First Aid. I use those to trim my bantams beaks all the time. I hold their head in between my fingers (which they fight as the day is long) to try to keep their head still. Then I gently and neatly would trip the kinda clear to white part of the beak down to size. This is all around the tip and sides. Because my bantams wasn't crossbeak, I didn't really have to trim the bottom part too often, but when I did, I had a finger in their mouth making certain that their tongue wasn't coming near.

Now here's another thing. I got an Isa Brown pullet (Lauren) who had crossbeak. She had been permanent debeaked. Being permanent, both top and bottom was debeaked so there was no more growth. I wouldn't ever want to debeak a chicken, but maybe in your chick's case, you would want to do that for less maintenance.

Something to look out for: In serious case of crossbeak, the extra growth will curl inwards. This can make it extremely hard to trim! Keep a close eye out for that and try to avoid that happening. Another way a chicken keeps their beak down is by wiping both sides on the ground. With crossbeak, they can't do this evenly, so there the problem of curling inwards. It curls inwards first on the sides, and in some cases the tip. If trimming, make certain that you trim both tip and sides. If debeaking, keep an eye on the sides. Permanent debeaking stops tip growth, but not side growth.

~Lacy Duckwing

 

[Chickie friend]

I would just leave her alone, maybe offer some mash (food mixed with water) I've got a crossed beak Silkie who does just fine.

 

[cnielsen]

Well this is what I did with a crossbeak EE (Marvalo I, not Marvalo II) that I had a few years back. I had braces at the time and I was told that Marvalo's beak was going to keep growing because the top and bottom doesn't line up. When the top and bottom is lined up, the bird will naturally keep their own beak down, but Marvalo wasn't going to be able to do that. So her beak was going to have to be trimmed, and I knew nothing about that at the time. So, everyday I went out there, grabbed Marvalo and pushed her beak opposite ways, so she could grind down her own beak. By the time I stopped doing that everyday, you could barely tell that she even had crossbeak. Now this worked for Marvalo, but I don't know if you'd want to try it or not. I suggest doing something like braces for your chick, but as she grows, you'll have to keep up with her.

If you don't want to try constantly relining her beak up until she stops growing, you can just trim her beak. I have these white finger nail clippers that I use that I think it's brand is First Aid. I use those to trim my bantams beaks all the time. I hold their head in between my fingers (which they fight as the day is long) to try to keep their head still. Then I gently and neatly would trip the kinda clear to white part of the beak down to size. This is all around the tip and sides. Because my bantams wasn't crossbeak, I didn't really have to trim the bottom part too often, but when I did, I had a finger in their mouth making certain that their tongue wasn't coming near.

Now here's another thing. I got an Isa Brown pullet (Lauren) who had crossbeak. She had been permanent debeaked. Being permanent, both top and bottom was debeaked so there was no more growth. I wouldn't ever want to debeak a chicken, but maybe in your chick's case, you would want to do that for less maintenance.

Something to look out for: In serious case of crossbeak, the extra growth will curl inwards. This can make it extremely hard to trim! Keep a close eye out for that and try to avoid that happening. Another way a chicken keeps their beak down is by wiping both sides on the ground. With crossbeak, they can't do this evenly, so there the problem of curling inwards. It curls inwards first on the sides, and in some cases the tip. If trimming, make certain that you trim both tip and sides. If debeaking, keep an eye on the sides. Permanent debeaking stops tip growth, but not side growth.

~Lacy Duckwing

thank you this is so helpful!! i have heard of the method you used by physically holding their beaks in the correct position. she is pretty sweet so i think i will try it a couple times a day. how long did you hold it for? i’m glad to hear your chickens are doing well with the condition. we have some nail clippers and also cat nail clippers which i will try out when she’s older if it continues to get worse, since she’s so small right now. also do you know when they stop growing? this is my first group of chicks i’ve raised, so it’s unfortunate to have a deformity on one of them lol. of course i will love her none the less! she will be spoiled.

 

[cnielsen]

I would just leave her alone, maybe offer some mash (food mixed with water) I've got a crossed beak Silkie who does just fine. View attachment 2568862

aww they’re adorable. i will try that! she eats well currently seeing as it’s very mild but it wouldn’t hurt.

 

[Chickie friend]

aww they’re adorable. i will try that! she eats well currently seeing as it’s very mild but it wouldn’t hurt.

Thanks, he's Buffy the cross beak rooster (well technically cockerel but that doesn't sound as good). I think her cross beak will get worse over the next few weeks. Just a warning

 

[cnielsen]

Thanks, he's Buffy the cross beak rooster (well technically cockerel but that doesn't sound as good). I think her cross beak will get worse over the next few weeks. Just a warning

what a charmer! yeah, i am preparing myself for it. just hoping it doesn’t go too bad.

 

[NatJ]

do you know when they stop growing?

Beaks and toenails keep growing all through their lives.
For other parts of the body, I might expect pullets to stop growing by the time they start laying eggs. Maybe 6 months, for an Easter Egger.

i know that the crossing will get worse as she grows, but i’ve never dealt with it before.
are there any ways to prevent cross beak from getting worse? and if not how can we maintain it for her as she grows so she can adapt and thrive?

Have you watched other chickens wipe their beaks after they eat something sticky? If you haven't seen it, offer your chicks some wet chick starter (just add water), and then watch what they do. That helps keep their beak worn down, as well as cleaning it.

I wonder if you could help this chick by wiping the sides of her beak with sandpaper or a file on a regular basis (maybe just a little bit each day?), rather than waiting for it to grow long and then trimming it. I have never had a chicken with crossbeak, but I wonder if that would help keep it from growing so badly crooked.

 

[cnielsen]

Beaks and toenails keep growing all through their lives.
For other parts of the body, I might expect pullets to stop growing by the time they start laying eggs. Maybe 6 months, for an Easter Egger.



Have you watched other chickens wipe their beaks after they eat something sticky? If you haven't seen it, offer your chicks some wet chick starter (just add water), and then watch what they do. That helps keep their beak worn down, as well as cleaning it.

I wonder if you could help this chick by wiping the sides of her beak with sandpaper or a file on a regular basis (maybe just a little bit each day?), rather than waiting for it to grow long and then trimming it. I have never had a chicken with crossbeak, but I wonder if that would help keep it from growing so badly crooked.

alright, thank you!
i have, i put a small rock in their brooder today thinking that might be a better surface than her feeder, with the rougher texture. that is a good idea! i will try it out also. i like the idea of prevention before treatment.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

thank you this is so helpful!! i have heard of the method you used by physically holding their beaks in the correct position. she is pretty sweet so i think i will try it a couple times a day. how long did you hold it for? i’m glad to hear your chickens are doing well with the condition. we have some nail clippers and also cat nail clippers which i will try out when she’s older if it continues to get worse, since she’s so small right now. also do you know when they stop growing? this is my first group of chicks i’ve raised, so it’s unfortunate to have a deformity on one of them lol. of course i will love her none the less! she will be spoiled.

I don't remember how long I held it for, it was a few years ago when I did this. Maybe however long she'll let you? I like to use nail clippers for beak and cat nail clippers for their actual toe nails. I'm a little concerned that the cat nail clippers would split the beak, that's why I don't use them on the beak, but that's just a concern, might not actually happen.
I'd say a year old when they are completely grown on the safe side, but could be more like 5-6 months old. Their beak is like our fingernails, they never stop growing. You're looking for the hen's growth (5-12 months) and not beak growth. Wow. Marvalo I was from my first batch of chicks too!