Is your dog's unusual barking a secret code for something mysterious?

[Debb11]

Hi All

I've just aquired 3 ex-batts and though they are a sorry state, only to be expected, i noticed that 2 of them have overgrown lower beaks, should i take them to the vets to have it trimmed, do it myself or just leave it and hope it will wear down on its own?

[Redwing]

When you say overgrown lower beak could that be because the top half of the beak has been trimmed and is too short? if this is the case the top half may well grow a bit to make the beak more even

 

Is the beak crossed where the bottom half is longer or does it meet ok?

 

You can trim the clear bit of a beak with dog nail clippers (only take off a tiny bit at a time, if you cut too far back the beak will bleed and it will be very painful for the hen) a nail file can be used to shape the beak too

[Debb11]

Thanks for your reply, the beaks at the top look normal to me, it's just the lower ones that are long, i have three ex batts, so one beak is fine, one has alittle bit longer beak at bottom and the other has a longish one like a over grown toe nail unshapen i.e staight

[Egluntyne]

So long as they are managing to eat without any difficulty, I would leave them alone tbh.

[The Dogmother]

So long as they are managing to eat without any difficulty, I would leave them alone tbh.

 

 

Me too, the quick on their beak is very near the tip, and believe me, it doesn't stop bleeding if you nick it! I have a hen with a crooked beak, which needs trimming twice a year - I have plenty of experience, but still take her to the vet to have it done - they have the sliver nitrate pencil to staunch the bleedign if they nick it.

[Patricia W]

Phew- I've been lucky then! Babs had a very over-grown top beak which finally this morning OH and I clipped with a pair of nail clippers. We'd have been even more careful if we'd read this first!

 

It's made an enormous difference to how she is eating. She was the lightest of my lot and I was worried about how much she was actually getting.

 

Hopefully we won't have to do it again for a long time.

 

Tricia