Chicks in brooder with very sharp beaks...should i trim?

[FarmGirl21]

I have 5 bigger chicks in our bigger brooder & they all have very sharp pointy beaks. Should I need to trim them? or will they be fine. They are 4 banty mix chicks & 1 monster sex link(not pictured). I was only going to trim the pointy part off the end, nothing drastic.

Will constant or lack of trimming cause crossed beaks?

 

[chickenlady]

Personally, I would leave them alone. One would usually only trim if the beak was so long that the bird could not eat. And I have only seen that in adult birds.

 

[chickenannie]

No no no! Don't trim their beaks! That would be like cutting off a person's hands. It's cruelty and only done in factory farming where the birds are so crowded and bored they peck at each other and is considered a terrible thing to do to a bird.

Their beak is for:

preening/cleaning their feathers
self-protection
slurping worms out of wormholes
scratching for bugs
pecking food out of the feeder
drinking water
and umpteen other activities necessary to a chicken.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Do not worry too much. Baby chicks rarely go cannibal on ya. They may peck at each other, but it is usually to make someone get out of the food bowl. Take it easy, you have a purdy clutch there.

 

[FarmGirl21]

Thank you everyone. I've only ever had to trim a beak once & still only trimmed a tiny bit of the excess off. she was about a half inch past the bottom & it was starting to look not right. I would NEVER debeak one of my birds!! i think its very disgusting and cruel. I only trim if its necessary. my little hen seemed much happier & had an easier time with her food after her trim too. only when necessary. thank you everyone