Deformed Face on baby chick (UPDATED: PHOTO HEAVY)

[twinstar]

Hey everyone! My first set of eggs just started hatching out Thursday night. All has been great so far except for one minor thing. We have had one chick that his/her face is deformed. It looks at though it sat wrong in the egg or something. Not quite sure what went on. The beak on this babe doesn't fit together. The top half seems straight but the bottom half seem to come out from just one side and veers across to the other. At the end of the beak, there is a "V" shape. Also, this chick seems to only have one eye. That eye seems very small as the eyelid is teeny tiny. It may have another eye but if so, we can't seem to find it. The way the face is shaped, you can't tell through all the baby fuzz. I hate really hate to poke and prod around on it too much until (and if) it gets bigger.

This babe seems to be making it fine so far. Gets around well but doesn't seem to be able to see. Anyone seen that before?

I work nights and haven't gotten around to taking pics but will take some when I get a break and add them to this thread to show it to everyone.

Thanks everyone!

 

[CoopCrazy]

This is just my opionion but if I hatched one like that I would have to cull.. That is not a defect I would want to have pop up later in my flock and also I would worry about its quality of life... Once again this is just my opionin.... Let us know what you decide to do....

 

[twinstar]

On this baby, if it has the will to make it on its' own, I will let it. It gets around pretty well so far. If it is a hen, it can live in the mixed roost and provide us with eggs. If it turns out to be a rooster, it may become dinner. We only let the purebreeds reproduce and keep them seperate so I am not too worried about it reproducing. Just not sure what went on with it. You will have to overlook my hand in the pics, it kept running around all over the place so I had to hold it to get pics.

I got some pics really quick before I decide to haul myself to bed.

The overview of the beak:

You can see where an eye should be...

The side with the small eye:

Head on view:

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Aw, poor baby! Is it able to find food and water? If it can't then I would cull it.

 

[meriruka]

Looks like you have a little crossbeak. Depending on how bad it gets as he ages, it may not be a problem.
I have a crossbeak, she just needs a deep food dish where she can scoop food up and she's fine. But if you keep the chick, I wouldn't breed it.

 

[shay20]

ahhhh poor baby, i wish had that chick, sooo cute.
it can still eat and drink, when it get a bit older you can use sand paper to sand down the beak a bit.

 

[Dora'smom]

It certainly looks as though there is no eye at all on the one side, and the other is small. The beak formation is referred to as crossbeak, and varies in degree from bird to bird.
I think you're doing a nice thing, just allowing the little one to demonstrate its abilities before you take any action.
We were given a little, slightly crossbeaked, (supposed) pullet chick a few weeks ago, and we are just letting her do her thing. She is growing, though not as fast as the others, and her feathers are coming in well on her wings. She seems to eat and drink, and is really feisty.
Good luck with your chick.

 

[HAL_9000]

was just wondering if this chick survived.. as I have one similar to it.. it has basically the same deformity except that the missing eye is on the right side and has a fully formed and functional eye on the left.. it is also slightly crossbeaked..

 

[Katy]

I don't know how the OP's chicks turned out, but most times the crossbeak continues to get worse as the chick grows until they aren't able to eat on their own. I cull any chicks that have it. Not a trait I want in my breeding flocks.

 

[i<3chickens]

Any updates??