Crossbeak and egg laying.

[The Coop Crew]

As many of you know, I have a chicken with a pretty severe cross beak. She is around 27 weeks old and has not started laying (which I know some breeds start laying later than that) but her comb and wattles are underdeveloped and not red at all. She gets mash everyday and I make sure her crop is full so I know she’s getting enough to eat.
Is it possible that she may not lay at all?
If she doesn’t I am fine with it. She’s our pet so she will still live a happy life with us. I’m just curious!
Thanks for any insight!
Picture to show her comb/wattles.

 

[sourland]

It's difficult if not impossible to assure that cross beak birds get enough to eat. She will probably lay, but may be sporadic in her performance.

 

[The Coop Crew]

It's difficult if not impossible to assure that cross beak birds get enough to eat. She will probably lay, but may be sporadic in her performance.

Thank you. I really try to make sure she’s getting enough. When I make her mash I sit with her while she eats it and check her crop after.

 

[AinaWGSD]

Egg laying takes a lot of calories, and a crossbeak that severe is going to struggle to get enough calories to lay eggs on top of maintaining daily bodily functions. She will probably lay eventually, but she'll probably never be in the running for top producer of the flock.

 

[The Coop Crew]

Egg laying takes a lot of calories, and a crossbeak that severe is going to struggle to get enough calories to lay eggs on top of maintaining daily bodily functions. She will probably lay eventually, but she'll probably never be in the running for top producer of the flock.

I am perfectly okay with that. I just want her to be happy. She’s such a huge part of our family. We have two (hopefully three soon) really good layers so we have plenty of eggs

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

This might be a bit off subject, but her beak needs to be trimmed. It's way too long and might be preventing her from getting enough to eat. Does she have a bottom beak at all? (In the picture she almost doesn't look like she has one.) Deep food and water dishes should help her with getting food (if you're not tube feeding) and a rock near either will help keep her beak down (though it still needs trimming). Feeding her mash helps too.

Here's a helpful article on caring for crossbeaks and includes tube feeding: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...kens-including-tube-feeding-techniques.64321/

 

[The Coop Crew]

This might be a bit off subject, but her beak needs to be trimmed. It's way too long and might be preventing her from getting enough to eat. Does she have a bottom beak at all? (In the picture she almost doesn't look like she has one.) Deep food and water dishes should help her with getting food (if you're not tube feeding) and a rock near either will help keep her beak down (though it still needs trimming). Feeding her mash helps too.

Here's a helpful article on caring for crossbeaks and includes tube feeding: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...kens-including-tube-feeding-techniques.64321/

She is able to eat mash. I’m not sure if you read my post. She is eating and her crop is getting full. I do not like to trim her beak unless I absolutely have to because it is painful regardless of what a lot of people say. She is able to eat.

 

[The Coop Crew]

This might be a bit off subject, but her beak needs to be trimmed. It's way too long and might be preventing her from getting enough to eat. Does she have a bottom beak at all? (In the picture she almost doesn't look like she has one.) Deep food and water dishes should help her with getting food (if you're not tube feeding) and a rock near either will help keep her beak down (though it still needs trimming). Feeding her mash helps too.

Here's a helpful article on caring for crossbeaks and includes tube feeding: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...kens-including-tube-feeding-techniques.64321/

I used to trim her beak until @Shadrach educated me on how painful it actually is.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

She is able to eat mash. I’m not sure if you read my post. She is eating and her crop is getting full. I do not like to trim her beak unless I absolutely have to because it is painful regardless of what a lot of people say. She is able to eat.

I used to trim her beak until @Shadrach educated me on how painful it actually is.

Her beak's length is getting concerning and might end up causing more trouble than what a beak trim will cause. If you don't cut into their quick, then it's more like getting nails trimmed, that is, if you have the right clippers that are not dull. Do you have a grinder for your dog's nails? There was a member who used one of those on her crossbeak chickens' beaks and it worked well.

 

[Kiki]

She is able to eat mash. I’m not sure if you read my post. She is eating and her crop is getting full. I do not like to trim her beak unless I absolutely have to because it is painful regardless of what a lot of people say. She is able to eat.

How much mash is she eating each day? Can you measure it tomorrow please?