Crossbeak and egg laying.

[The Coop Crew]

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

I would say around 2 cups per day.

 

[The Coop Crew]

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.

I also thought if you didn’t cut into the quick it wouldn’t hurt but I was told otherwise. I do have a grinder.
What harm is her beak if it’s not interfering with her eating?
That’s a honest question, not trying to be rude at all.

 

[Kiki]

I would say around 2 cups per day.

Can you please measure it tomorrow and report back?

 

[The Coop Crew]

Can you please measure it tomorrow and report back?

I will try my best to remember. Working full time and having two kids makes my brain mush most days lol

 

[The Coop Crew]

Can you please measure it tomorrow and report back?

She also eats out of the regular food so my measurement may not be super accurate because they have food available all day while I’m at work.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I also thought if you didn’t cut into the quick it wouldn’t hurt but I was told otherwise. I do have a grinder.
What harm is her beak if it’s not interfering with her eating?
That’s a honest question, not trying to be rude at all.

Besides it hurting when she pecks something (the beak is meant to peck at the point, not the top), it will continue to curl until it's curling back into her. (In the picture you posted, to me it looks like it's curling too much.) On the note of it hurting because she's pecking in the wrong area, the possibility of her actually breaking her beak is a risk, and will hurt a lot and bleed. Also, with it's length, it's preventing her from preening when it's already hard for her to do.
I haven’t heard of it hurting besides here. They don't like it (but so doesn't a dog when it comes to their nails being trimmed) and prefer for their beak not to be touched, period (again, same with dogs and their nails). They do have feelers in their beak like how we can feel with our fingers, but that ends with the quick. If you have dull clippers, or clippers that isn't cutting clean, you could accidentally split the beak, but that's often on the edge. (The grinder would be best as long as you watch for her quick and tongue!)

My crossbeak would sit on my lap while I trimmed her beak and I didn't need to wrap her because she was so accustomed to me trimming her beak. She did give more trouble when I was clipping instead of filing, but she still sat there. Her biggest beaf was the fact that I was touching her beak and needing to hold it open while I filed and trimmed the curling that was happening inside her beak, not it hurting from the work I was doing.

 

[The Coop Crew]

Besides it hurting when she pecks something (the beak is meant to peck at the point, not the top), it will continue to curl until it's curling back into her. (In the picture you posted, to me it looks like it's curling too much.) On the note of it hurting because she's pecking in the wrong area, the possibility of her actually breaking her beak is a risk, and will hurt a lot and bleed. Also, with it's length, it's preventing her from preening when it's already hard for her to do.
I haven’t heard of it hurting besides here. They don't like it (but so doesn't a dog when it comes to their nails being trimmed) and prefer for their beak not to be touched, period (again, same with dogs and their nails). They do have feelers in their beak like how we can feel with our fingers, but that ends with the quick. If you have dull clippers, or clippers that isn't cutting clean, you could accidentally split the beak, but that's often on the edge. (The grinder would be best as long as you watch for her quick and tongue!)

My crossbeak would sit on my lap while I trimmed her beak and I didn't need to wrap her because she was so accustomed to me trimming her beak. She did give more trouble when I was clipping instead of filing, but she still sat there. Her biggest beaf was the fact that I was touching her beak and needing to hold it open while I filed and trimmed the curling that was happening inside her beak, not it hurting from the work I was doing.

Ahhhh okay. Thank you for that information. I do have a grinder so I will have my husband help me tomorrow evening to give it a good trim and then I’ll do regular upkeep. Like I said, I was trimming it but then I was told it hurt her so it made me very hesitant to do so.

 

[The Coop Crew]

Besides it hurting when she pecks something (the beak is meant to peck at the point, not the top), it will continue to curl until it's curling back into her. (In the picture you posted, to me it looks like it's curling too much.) On the note of it hurting because she's pecking in the wrong area, the possibility of her actually breaking her beak is a risk, and will hurt a lot and bleed. Also, with it's length, it's preventing her from preening when it's already hard for her to do.
I haven’t heard of it hurting besides here. They don't like it (but so doesn't a dog when it comes to their nails being trimmed) and prefer for their beak not to be touched, period (again, same with dogs and their nails). They do have feelers in their beak like how we can feel with our fingers, but that ends with the quick. If you have dull clippers, or clippers that isn't cutting clean, you could accidentally split the beak, but that's often on the edge. (The grinder would be best as long as you watch for her quick and tongue!)

My crossbeak would sit on my lap while I trimmed her beak and I didn't need to wrap her because she was so accustomed to me trimming her beak. She did give more trouble when I was clipping instead of filing, but she still sat there. Her biggest beaf was the fact that I was touching her beak and needing to hold it open while I filed and trimmed the curling that was happening inside her beak, not it hurting from the work I was doing.

Here is a better angle. It is overgrown but the first picture makes it look worse than it is I think.
I just made my husband go out with me and do a little bit of grinding so I got some of the curve off.

 

[Debbie292d]

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 just saw I rated that article with 5 stars back in September of 2023. I forgot about it, so thanks for the link!

I now have my first crossbeak, two months old. He/she got it when a month old. It's not really bad, and has been eating both dry and mash.

Thank you for the post, @The Coop Crew

 

[The Coop Crew]

I just saw I rated that article with 5 stars back in September of 2023. I forgot about it, so thanks for the link!

I now have my first crossbeak, two months old. He/she got it when a month old. It's not really bad, and has been eating both dry and mash.

Thank you for the post, @The Coop Crew

I really hesitate posting sometimes because I feel like people are judgmental and then my feelings just end up getting hurt. I really care so much about my chickens and do everything I can to make sure they are happy and healthy. I’m always researching and trying to do what’s best but there is so much conflicting information.
Dorothy (our cross beak) is such a big part of our family and I only want what’s best for her.