Treatment resistant mites/lice?

[]Fiona[]

When I received my two hens in July, the gingernut had a freshly mutilated ...erm I mean "trimmed" beak (top beak half a centimetre shorter than bottom beak). I was gutted but didnt say anything, as I wanted to see what happened, maybe it grew back etc....it didnt. From my research, Organic Standards do not permit trimming except under exceptional circumstances. Can anyone explain how Omlet can supply such a hen to customers who, naturally, are keen on animal welfare.? I am interested to know what these 'exceptional circumstances' would have been in a barely 17 wk old hen?

 

The pepperpot which I got at the same time is not beak-trimmed and with her large pointy beak frequently attacks the gingernut. The gingernut has been placed at a severe disadvantage by having her beak trimmed. She has no means of defence. I am about to fit a bumper bit in the hope this will help. Also the trimmed gingernut cannot forage anywhere near as effectively as pepperpot. If she finds a juicy morsel, by the time she has hopelessly pecked at it trying to lift it from the ground, the pepperpot has come along and swiped it. I am convinced that the dynamic between these two birds would be very different if one was not trimmed.

 

I have read that others have also received a beak-trimmed hen, so this does not appear to be a one - off.

 

Comments appreciated.

[Egluntyne]

I think you would be better off addressing your query directly to Omlet as the forum has no input into the sourcing and supply of hens.

[Chucky Mama]

Are you sure that the beak was trimmed? 1 of my 4 (none Omlet hens) has a shorter top beak. It is a deformity rather than something done intentionally. She copes perfectly well although can't shovel sweetcorn as quickly as the others. She has earned the rather unkind nickname of 'freak beak' from my OH

[blackgold]

I think that OMLET would be horrified to find out that one of their approved suppliers were trimming beaks. This is done to hens supplied to battery cages but never to hens supplied to OMLET customers. All the hens my friends had supplied to them were fully normal, my hens are ex-battery and some have quite bad mutilations at the beginning. After 12 months , they do grow back ,but I gently file a tiny bit off their bottom beaks every couple of months to help even things up.

[Chucky1]

I'd echo Chucky Mumma's post. Some of our girls have top beaks shorter than the bottom - I'm reasonably sure that they haven't been trimmed as they were 18 weeks when we got them and I know the breeder.

 

I could be wrong. DW tells me that I sometimes am

[Cinnamon]

You have had them since July?

Why not contact Omlet sooner?

I am sure they would have liked to address this as soon as they could.

[Sam]

1 out of the 4 of mine from Cotswold chickens had a trimmed beak. Being new to chickens, I presumed it was normal. The woman there said it was because when they are young they can peck each other, so in the first hour of their lives they do it. She also said they grow back, and I'm pretty sure hers is growing back. I wouldn't say it puts her at a disadvantage because she is at the top of the pecking order anyway