# Cutting chicks beak



## sassy (Nov 29, 2013)

Can anyone tell me how to clip the hook on the end of my chickens beak? It's a huge hook looking nose. 


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## sassy (Nov 29, 2013)

if you zoom in you can see beak. It's even bigger now. This is an older pic

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## happyhogs (Oct 12, 2009)

Their beaks are live so it is easy to cause pain or injury when clipping a beak. Unless it is actually causing eating problems, there is no need to clip it back. 

You can, however, help her keep it in trim naturally by placing feed dishes on to concrete slabs and by offering treats there....then she can file it down as she pecks. 

If you feel you really must trim it, then a dremmel is your best bet or sandpaper rolled tight and carefully rubbed across the tip or just a tiny snip with some hoof shears.


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## sassy (Nov 29, 2013)

Thank you I'll try the sandpaper. The hook is starting to go completely around and I have cement slabs but she's not filing it herself. It' seems hard for her to get food. 


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## happyhogs (Oct 12, 2009)

If she's having difficulty eating then yes, something needs doing. If it is starting to curl under then it's likely you will see the very end of it is white, rather than the darker colour of the main beak....this area is safe to sand down or clip without touching nerves or blood supply.


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## sassy (Nov 29, 2013)

I went to snip it. But it looks like it is starting to crack. Now what!? 


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## happyhogs (Oct 12, 2009)

How long and it what direction is the crack? Can you get piccies?


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## sassy (Nov 29, 2013)

I'm gonna try to get them. It's pouring here two days and I have to go away for a fire department convention. Soon as I'm back ill post pics...


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## sassy (Nov 29, 2013)

Wooo hooo. The cinder block worked. She must of filed it down while I was gone!! Now I have another problem. My sis has a chick with a crooked beak. They cross over each other. What can be done with this? 


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## happyhogs (Oct 12, 2009)

Sadly, nothing can be done about a crossed beak and even more sadly, the younger they are when they get it, the worse it becomes and the less chance there is of a good outcome. Sometime adult birds develop this and they learn to eat with it but if it is a birth defect, it is likely to become too bad for the chick to be able to eat and it will perish....personally, hard as it is, I would rather cull now to save the suffering. So sorry xx


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

If it is obviously noticeable now while the chick is very young, cull. Like mentioned above, this is almost always an early death. We had a beautiful expensive PB Ameraucana chick hatch out that we tried to save as long as we could. She lasted 6 months, never even laid an egg because she was developmentally behind in growth. We purchased special food, and made homemade mixes for her. Handled each day, beak filed, the works. She started to get skinnier, and eventually got cold in the fall from low fat distribution, so we put her down. Terrible!


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## sassy (Nov 29, 2013)

. That's what I thought. I'll pass the info on to my sister. Thank you all for responding 


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