Overgrown/Overbite @ 10wks. How bad it will get ?

[Rebelodicus]

Overgrown/Overbite on beak.

I watch my birds from within the coop for at least 10 minutes a day. I enjoy it. Once a week I pick them up and get real close and observant. I can't see how this is happening so quickly. A week ago it was a small overbite, this week the beak is at 30 degrees out of straight and getting worse. I'll get a pic if it would make any difference.

It is my lovely Fav Cockerrell 06 . He's happy enough and able to eat and drink atm, but I worry it will worsen ,,, will it keep growing out of skew, do you think ? He's only 10 weeks....

 

[foxy]

Hi Reb, post a pic, may just need a little trim...? Sometimes they can grow really quick.

 

[Rebelodicus]

Poor lad wasn't fond of being held this way but there wasn't an option. I was gentle.

 

[foxy]

Hi Reb..are the bottom and top aligned? if its just a bit overgrown just keep an eye and trim when a little older unless it is causing a deformity ie: forcing the beak out of alignment. I haven't had any deformites so far, but have had the occasional beak grow at a pace!

 

[Rebelodicus]

The lower picture answers that Foxy. I'm afraid it is out of line now. I have a pic from 2 weeks ago where it was perfect..... Came on so quick and unexpected. Out of the 30+ birds I must have missed the last spurt of growth on his beak..... It is now way out of line.

What would be the humane thing do you think ? Wait and see if it causes trouble eating and drinking or just "Do the deed" ... I'd hate to think he was suffering.... He has weight on and seems happy ok atm ... Very assertive in fact.

Such a shame ...

 

[pebojuno]

Unless you want to keep him just as a pet as he's a boy I would personally be harsh on this one and cull him.
He really shouldn't be bred from because of his beak. If you have the space to keep him without breeding from him Im sure he'd make a lovely pet

 

[Anonymous]

I've seen some ex-batts with very bad beaks,not aligned properly,top beak or part of it completely missing.He is obviously still eating and drinking very well or you would have noticed a weight loss.
The biggest problem I can see is that he is a cockerel,it isn't easy to keep healthy cockerels,let alone one you're not going to breed from.
If you can keep him,and,make sure you're not hatching out eggs he could have fertilised,then I would suggest keeping him,and in the future cull him if/when his beak becomes a problem.

 

[Rebelodicus]

I have clipped his beak, and it seems a little bit better... I will try to find him a home rather than eat this one. He's got under my "Man shield" lol.

This is the first time I've had chooks younger than POL. Is there any other suprises I need to look out for ? I just feal that if I was "More on the ball" it might have been dealt with earlier. I'm devistated ... Just like teacher used to say "Could have done better" ...

 

[Anonymous]

No,most of the time things go fine,also,no matter 'how on the ball'you are,there is nothing you could have done to prevent a beak from growing the way nature intends.