I have a bantam chicken....a Cochin Frizzle hen....whose beak is mis-aligned. A nomal chickens beak is like a human mouth....the lower part fits neatly in the upper part. This gals is like a massive overbite..but off to one side instead of top over bottom! Can beaks be trimmed? I'm hoping a trim will allow it to go back to normal.

Jason

-- Jason (AJAMA5@netscape.net), November 25, 2000

Answers

Hi Jason, I had some chicks that 2 of them were the same way. I think it is some kind of defect in the genes. My 2 chicks as they got older,the bite got worst. They finally starved to death cause they could not pick up the feed. If your chicken is full grown then she might be ok. Beaks can be trimmed, at least the top one can. Sometimes people will trim the top beak to stop picking of other chickens.

-- Linda (hesscat@cot.net), November 25, 2000.

You may trim the top beak, but be careful as it will bleed if trimmed too close, like a dog's nails. I had a bird with a bad beak, but she still ate well and laid well. But if I had another one I would be less likely to keep her now, since I have so few birds now and she would not be one I would want to breed. You can also file the sharp place after you trim----try using the human toenail clippers on the chickens. I bought a set just for them.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), November 25, 2000.

I had one like that, also. Didn't notice it when she was younger, maybe because I had so many at that time. Anyway, she ate fine, but I did cull her as I didn't want to pass that trait on to any possible chicks. Probably depends on the chicken whether you want to keep them and try to clip the beak. I just didn't want to take the chance and clip it too short. Jan

-- Jan in Colorado (Janice12@aol.com), November 25, 2000.

I've got a bantam mixed breed hen with the same problem. Didn't cull her. Traded her eggs for others when she started to set. She's a great little 'sitter' and mother. Culling her would be a waste. She's more valuable as a substitute mother rather than the quail size carcass (tough as boot leather).

-- Phil (phillipbriggs@thenett.com), December 01, 2000.