HELP aggressive chicken

[kinsk]

One of the chicks from our last hatch has a crooked beak. Obviously when we started on the hatching route there were 'rules' but she is such a lovely little girl, she is 13 weeks now and obviously we wont be selling her so the question is if we keep her can trimming help or is she better left?

[Saronne]

My friend had a little hen with a similar issue. She left it alone and the hen was fine and managed to eat and drink okay. I don't think she ever trims the beak. Good luck!

[Chortle Chook]

I don't have a hen with this problem, but I do have a dove with a crooked beak. He has no problem at all with eating out of a dish, though eating directly from the ground can prove a problem. Because the wear is not equal the top bit does grow rather, but it is easy and painless to clip. I use very sharp but round eneded scisors that were sold in our local animal food place - I think they were supposed to be for small dogs' nails.

[Redwing]

Use dog nail clippers (the scissor type not the guilotine type if possible) and only take the smallest bit off at a time. Hold the bird to the light and you will see the beak end is translucent and thats ok to cut, the darker part will bleed very badly if cut

 

Normal scissors or human nail clippers can cause the beak to split so dont use those

 

Once you have trimmed the beak use a nail file to shape it. You wont get it perfect but it should be a lot better

 

If the beak bleeds dont panic, dig it in to a bar of soap or use flour to stop the bleeding and take it more carefully next time!

[kinsk]

Thank you all for your replies.

 

She's eating and drinking, although she does make a mess scattering pellets everywhere but the others pick those up, and she's growing at the same rate as the others so must be getting enough.

 

Will get OH to help me trim and file this weekend.