Looking for recommendations to strengthen a beak

[mairivc]

Hello everyone,

After surviving a nasty case of fowl pox my lil 6-month-old roo has kept a very brittle beak. He often breaks it (he likes battling his reflection on doors .). I'm worried that one day he's going to crack it too severely. Appart from taking obvious security measures (like not letting him near doors). I wanted to ask what recommendations y'all have for foods and supplements that will help him grow and maintain a healthy beak.

I keep him on an organic grower pellet diet with leafy greens and some mealworms as treats. He suffers from mycoplasmosis so he gets Tylosin every once in a while and he has chronic aspergillosis for which he has been on treatment with Nystatin for a few months. So that may also be a contributing factor.

Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

organic grower pellet diet with leafy greens and some mealworms as treats. He suffers from mycoplasmosis so he gets Tylosin every once in a while and he has chronic aspergillosis for which he has been on treatment with Nystatin for a few months.

What protein% is the grower pellet?

I think I would try vitamin therapy to see if he improves.
Research vitamin deficiencies in chickens that may cause issues with beaks. Biotin, Niacin or B Vitamin Deficiency may be a problem.

Does he get any sunshine at all? Giving a bit of extra D3 may be helpful.

You can also rub a small amount of Vitamin E oil into the beak to see if that helps with brittleness.

You may be right, repeated use of medications may be part of the problem as well.

Has he been under vet care? I'm not sure what the long term effects of administering Nystatin for months would be - generally it's given for 7 days.

Hope some of this helps. Good luck!

 

[mairivc]

What protein% is the grower pellet?

I think I would try vitamin therapy to see if he improves.
Research vitamin deficiencies in chickens that may cause issues with beaks. Biotin, Niacin or B Vitamin Deficiency may be a problem.

Does he get any sunshine at all? Giving a bit of extra D3 may be helpful.

You can also rub a small amount of Vitamin E oil into the beak to see if that helps with brittleness.

You may be right, repeated use of medications may be part of the problem as well.

Has he been under vet care? I'm not sure what the long term effects of administering Nystatin for months would be - generally it's given for 7 days.

Hope some of this helps. Good luck!

Thanks!
1. His feed is 17% protein

2. Do you have any vitamin brands that you would recommend? Similarly, any vitamin E oil that would be safe for him?

3. I take him out for sunshine a few days a week but unfortunately he's only able to be out for like 5 minutes at a time as we live in the tropics and he overheats quite quickly due to his breathing issues. When he overheats all of the mycoplasmosis symptoms come back strong.
4. I'm concerned about the long term effects as well. We don't have a vet nearby, we tried travelling to the only one available that sees chickens where we live (hours away) some months ago but the medication alternative that he gave us left the little fella laying down in pain on the verge of death. And the stress from travelling made him terribly sick for a long time. He's stable now. I try stopping the medication every once in a while but his breathing gets worse. I would love to get proper vet care for him. It's been a long and hard road since a hawk dropped him in our family's yard. I'm very grateful for the support of this forum!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You can use human vitamins. Prick a vitamin E gel tab and mash out the oil.
B-Complex can be given, I would give him 1/4 tablet once a day.
Since he's not getting much sunshine, I think I would give him D3 at least once a week.

17% protein feed is fine. You can also give him treats of egg, fish or beef a few times a week for a boost.

 

[mairivc]

You can use human vitamins. Prick a vitamin E gel tab and mash out the oil.
B-Complex can be given, I would give him 1/4 tablet once a day.
Since he's not getting much sunshine, I think I would give him D3 at least once a week.

17% protein feed is fine. You can also give him treats of egg, fish or beef a few times a week for a boost.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[Eggcessive]

I would stop the Nystatin. If the chicken has aspergillosis, there is no real cure, but mold should always be avoided. Plain yogurt might be a good additive to food in small amounts for calcium and vitamin D. That is also full of probiotics. Salmon (canned) with the bones is also good for calcium/D.

If the beak cracks, some use paper from empty tea bags and superglue to make repairs.