Upper beak broken shorter than lower

[LamarshFish]

I'm writing this about a 4 year old Chukar partridge I have, and I'm putting it in this forum section because it doesn't seem enough people view the "Chukar" section, and this problem IMO is generic across species such that whatever advice I can get from chicken owners is likely applicable.

My chukars keep their beaks from getting too long by basically pecking at rocks. It is almost always no problem, except I noticed recently my male chukar somehow got his upper beak shorter than the lower. He seems to be doing fine, it's been this way for a couple weeks, but as a precaution I've been just making sure his food in his gravity feeder is adequately "deep" such that he can scoop it out easier in case this beak issue makes it tougher for him to eat.

Are there any other precautions you guys think I should take? Is issue a bigger problem than I am noticing? Thanks!

 

[Melky]

I haven’t had a broken beak before but here is resource. Don’t know if helpful but check it out and see. It’s great that your bird seems to be eating ok.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/repairing-chickens-broken-beak/

This may not help if just short with no exposed area or broken area of beak meaning your bird just filed it off. At least check for bleeding, exposed area, cracked beak, or area to clean and repair. If not simple filing might work to smooth rough edges and make seem more equal as before.

 

[LamarshFish]

I haven’t had a broken beak before but here is resource. Don’t know if helpful but check it out and see. It’s great that your bird seems to be eating ok.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/repairing-chickens-broken-beak/

This may not help if just short with no exposed area or broken area of beak meaning your bird just filed it off. At least check for bleeding, exposed area, cracked beak, or area to clean and repair. If not simple filing might work to smooth rough edges and make seem more equal as before.

Thanks, I'll take a look at that write up. It's not terribly broken, and broken may not even be the right word. He pecks in order to keep his beak at a normal length, and he must have pecked it in a way that made his upper beak about 1/4" shorter than his lower beak, looking sort of like an under bite. He otherwise seems fine. My only concern was whether he can eat properly, which is why I've been making sure he has adequate depth of food (his gravity feeder can sometimes leave the food level low until he sort of pecks away at it and it dumps more out, not sure if he can do this as well with his beak like this).

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sounds like you are doing it right. Just make sure the feed is deep enough for him to scoop.
If it's not cracked or jagged, then I would leave it alone.

Photos of the beak and the Chukar are always welcome if you want to share

 

[Melky]

Thanks, I'll take a look at that write up. It's not terribly broken, and broken may not even be the right word. He pecks in order to keep his beak at a normal length, and he must have pecked it in a way that made his upper beak about 1/4" shorter than his lower beak, looking sort of like an under bite. He otherwise seems fine. My only concern was whether he can eat properly, which is why I've been making sure he has adequate depth of food (his gravity feeder can sometimes leave the food level low until he sort of pecks away at it and it dumps more out, not sure if he can do this as well with his beak like this).

It may grow out with time, it may not. The deep feeder is a help and wetting the feed to make mash may help. As long as happy eating and appropriate weight for age, I think ok. If losing weight would probably recommend calling vet for other suggestions.

 

[Cragg Klefor]

Thanks, I'll take a look at that write up. It's not terribly broken, and broken may not even be the right word. He pecks in order to keep his beak at a normal length, and he must have pecked it in a way that made his upper beak about 1/4" shorter than his lower beak, looking sort of like an under bite. He otherwise seems fine. My only concern was whether he can eat properly, which is why I've been making sure he has adequate depth of food (his gravity feeder can sometimes leave the food level low until he sort of pecks away at it and it dumps more out, not sure if he can do this as well with his beak like this).

I have had two chickens with much longer bottom beak than top. Deep feeding as you are doing kept them both fine. It took time - maybe 6 months or so, but they are both fine now!

 

[LamarshFish]

Thank you all. I will keep making sure his gravity feeder has some depth. Appreciate it!

 

[sourland]

Monitor his weight and any changes with his beak. If the quick is not injured, the upper beak may regrow. If it does not, and the lower beaks extends further to the point of causing trouble, the lower beak can be trimmed. For now it sounds as if he is fine.

 

[LamarshFish]

Monitor his weight and any changes with his beak. If the quick is not injured, the upper beak may regrow. If it does not, and the lower beaks extends further to the point of causing trouble, the lower beak can be trimmed. For now it sounds as if he is fine.

Thanks! Yeah, it definitely grows lol. I noticed in the past (years ago) my chukars beaks would grow to the point where they looked too long, so I'd trim them. Then I noticed sometimes they'd be pecking furiously at hard objects in their pen, and I concluded they were trying to sort of break their beaks when they were too long. So a few years ago I put a brick in there, and after that I never had to trim their beaks, they always kept them in good shape, presumably using the brick to peck at and keep the beak at reasonable length. But this particular fella, he must have been a bit too vigorous with his beak maintenance that he broke a little too much off!