Chicken bald back

[Luvachicken]

I posted about Lucie's beak before in the clinic for being over grown.

It is still over grown and she is eating and drinking fine but when you look closely it does look like a new beak is growing underneath the old one, on the top and the bottom.

I meant to do a photo but my battery was dead so I will try and do it tomorrow.

It does like quite scary and gnarly looking

Do they grow new beaks ?

Edited May 25, 2016 by Guest

[Cat tails]

Don't think so. Or all those battery hens with their clipped beaks would regrow new ones as well I guess?

[Grandmashazzie]

I wonder are they a bit like toenails,the ex batts beaks tend to grow but sometimes can be deformed. Perhaps Lucy's beak was damaged and its split a bit like an injured nail.

[sjp]

I think the beaks do grow if they aren't damaged at the tip

but with commercial hybrids that have their beaks trimmed before they go to the egg farms the beak is cut passed the growing tip so it can't grow back

[Luvachicken]

Thanks everyone for your replies

 

I think she has damaged it somehow as it definitely looks like Grandmashazzie says it could with a toe nail.

I didn't get a chance to take a photo today but will try tomorrow after work.

Will try and take some good close ups.

[The Dogmother]

I think the beaks do grow if they aren't damaged at the tip

but with commercial hybrids that have their beaks trimmed before they go to the egg farms the beak is cut passed the growing tip so it can't grow back

 

Exactly; if the growth bed is damaged (just like with human nails) then it won't usually regrow.

 

If one half of the beak is overgrowing, then it might well be growing slightly at an angle so the other half of the beak isn't wearing it down. Gentle filing will help, but be very careful if you clip it as the quick is very long, and they bleed like mad.

[Luvachicken]

Have just done photos and the bottom bit of the beak has come off must have happened yesterday.

I hope none of them fancied eating it as a snack

Just need to find a helper to put the photos on.

[Luvachicken]

 

 

 

 

The bottom part of her beak looked quite gnarly too and was crossed over at the very end with the top bit.

Feel quite sorry for her as she looks quite scary up close and it will be so nice to see her again with a pretty beak.

[The Dogmother]

Ok, so only looking at this on a tiny phone screen, but it looks like she could do with the top part of her beak being carefully filed down to help her with eating. I would be worried too that she might catch it in something and do herself damage.

[mullethunter]

Blimey luvachicken that's quite a thing

 

Sorry - don't have anything remotely useful to say I just felt the need to pass (a completely unhelpful) comment

[Grandmashazzie]

Holy smoke Luvachicken,that is some beak. It does look very fragile with that line across it. Would your vet trim it ?

[Luvachicken]

Yes, it is quite a concern

The bottom part of the beak that fell off looked exactly like the bit that remains on the top - just crooked.

It had the same kind of line across it.

 

I could take her to the vets tomorrow and see what they say

[The Dogmother]

If they were both crooked and crossed,then it's likely that they formed like that in the shell. All you can do in this case is to manage it, by trimming,so that she's able to eat.

[Luvachicken]

If they were both crooked and crossed,then it's likely that they formed like that in the shell. All you can do in this case is to manage it, by trimming,so that she's able to eat.

 

Strange thing is that she didn't use to look like that

She had a perfectly normal beak before, up until it started to grow longer recently.

 

Fortunately she has managed to peck at the broccoli I gave them and sadly peck Polly pretty hard but I will check her first thing to see if it has fallen off overnight.

I could pop her in the broody cage to keep her safe until I can get her to the vets.

[Luvachicken]

Well, pleased to report that the top part of Lucie's beak has come off too

I kept an eye on her for the last few days and you could definitely see that the mank beak was coming off.

I topped her up with food in case she found it difficult to eat but she seemed to have found a knack to doing it - her crop has been suitably full.

I checked on her when I got in from work this afternoon and the bit of beak had gone

 

She looks a lot more normal now, thankfully, and came to no harm which I was quite worried about.

Just need to keep an eye on her new beak and see what happens to that

[mullethunter]

Glad to hear she's back to chicken not witch!

[sjp]

I'd hang up a swede or some turnips as a pecker block it might help to keep the beak in shape hard skinned squashes might work as well but don't cut them up if they won't peck a hole in themselves just cut a small hole in for them

[Daphne]

Thanks for posting all this, and the photos . I've never seen anything like it, its always so helpful to know what can happen so we are all better prepared should something similar happen to us. Mind you, I'd be in a bit of a state if it happened to me

[Luvachicken]

Glad to hear she's back to chicken not witch!

 

awww I knew the poor thing reminded me of something

 

Daphne I'm glad the photos were useful.

It's nice to know we can all learn from each others experiences - I've had chickens for 7 years but have never seen anything like this before.

 

sjp I will get them some swede or something tomorrow.

 

I will also try and get a new photo so you can see how beautiful she looks now

[Luvachicken]

Here she is

 

 

 

 

Not sure it closes properly at the ends but then she was panicking and had her beak open to breathe.

I hope it regrows normally. (Oh yes and it's dirty )

[Daphne]

Isn't she lovely What a beautiful soft peachy apricot colour I feel I could just reach out and touch her

[Luvachicken]

Isn't she lovely What a beautiful soft peachy apricot colour I feel I could just reach out and touch her

 

Thank you

She is lovely just rather skittish and doesn't lay many eggs.