Hi, I need some advise / help. I have a baby in the nest which is just starting to feather up and I noticed last night that it looks as though its top beak is growing into the bottom one. Its not that pronounced but the top beak is smaller than it should be. It is the youngest of 3 and its siblings are fine. Is there anything I can do for the baby?

 

Thanks

Do you give them soft food? if so maybe there is food caked up there in the top beak which can deform the beak if not removed. Compared to the others does the top beak look unusually small or does the bottom beak look longer than it should. Do you give your birds calcium?

I dont feed them soft food, they have calcium drops in the water plus cuttlefish (which the dad loves). The top beak looks small in comparison to the others. I will check tonight if there is any food lodged in the beak.

Its too late now to do anything. What has occurred is food got stuck inside the top beak.......it rots in there building up heat and affect the growing of the beak. The bottom beak then grows at its normal rate and you end up with this issue.

 

 

THIS IS PREVENTABLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

This is part of normal nestchecking of chicks.

 

EVERYTIME you nestcheck you open the beaks and look for stuck food........then remove it with a spare feather quill or something similar.

 

Nestchecking is twice daily once you have chicks.

 

If you had done this then the beak problem would not have occurred.

 

LESSON LEARNT ????

 

 

ps THIS CHICK NOW WILL NEED ITS LOWER BEAK TRIMMED EVERY FORTNIGHT FOR THE REST OF ITS LIFE.

Edited September 10, 201014 yr by KAZ

Thanks Splat & Kaz for getting back to me,

 

Dont I feel like **** for letting this happen, when should I start trimming the lower beak (now or after it leaves the nest).

 

Thanks again

Thanks Splat & Kaz for getting back to me,

 

Dont I feel like **** for letting this happen, when should I start trimming the lower beak (now or after it leaves the nest).

 

Thanks again

 

 

You always feel crappy when these things happen.... things that if you knew how important it was you would have done a better job :thankyou:

AND it makes you a better bird keeper in the future......so lessons are learnt.

As far as beak trimming goes. You will see the bottom beak begin to grow more after it leaves the nestbox ....reason is the top beak isnt keep it in trim because the top beak is going inside the bottom beak. You can trim your own as the overgrowth ( if maintained ) always shows a line of new growth so you can see where to cut. You can use very sharp scissors or nail cutters. Whatever works.......IF you feel comfortable about doing it.

This will be a budgie that you will have to keep to maintain it. You cant sell it or someone else ends up with a bird that may costs them at the vets.

Edited September 10, 201014 yr by KAZ