Digger
Golden Chicken
- Messages
- 116
One of my poor chickens has a cracked beak. The ole girl can still eat just fine, but I worry that it will crack further if I don't do something about it. What do you guys recommend for these types of injuries?
Andrew T
Farm Hand
- Messages
- 51
The beak is kind of like fingernails in humans - they are constantly growing. You can use fingernail clippers to clip the beak and then file it down. Your chicken won't be thrilled about that, but it doesn't hurt them.
Snow Farmer
Farm Hand
- Messages
- 33
I have heard that some people have had good results using Krazy Glue on cracked beaks, never tried it.
Moringa-farmer
Farm Hand
- Messages
- 12
Super glue was originally designed to repair breaks in human skin, whether it be accidental or during a surgical procedure, so the glue is the perfect solution to your chicken's problem, as Andrew T has pointed out. Good luck. Let us know how it goes.
FarmHand
Golden Chicken
- Messages
- 149
Duck tape? Woo hoo
Digger
Golden Chicken
- Messages
- 116
It took three of us to get it done and a whole lot of prayer, but I was able to apply some superglue to her beak without getting it in her eyes or on her feathers. She's still pretty cross with us, but her beak seems good as new. Thanks for the advice.
@Andrew T, that was good advice too, but the crack was too far back to just cut it off. She wouldn't have had much left.
@FarmHand Nice pun for sure.
@Andrew T, that was good advice too, but the crack was too far back to just cut it off. She wouldn't have had much left.
@FarmHand Nice pun for sure.
Moringa-farmer
Farm Hand
- Messages
- 12
No, cutting it off is NOT a good idea. Glad to hear that your prayers were answered, and that the super-glue worked just fine. I'm always amazed at the suggestion of "DUCK TAPE." First of all, there is no such thing! It is called "duct" tape, because it us widely used in the HVAC industry, or at least used to be, to seal the sheet metal ducts where they join each other, and to hold them firmly in place. Sealing is the main function. But everyone calls the stuff "Duck" tape, like it's something to be used on ducks!
Like, being "hayve" (behave) or "rebarb" (rebar). Funny stuff!
Like, being "hayve" (behave) or "rebarb" (rebar). Funny stuff!
ch1ch2
Farm Hand
- Messages
- 14
Where did you get that?
Super glue was an accident.
Super glue CAN be toxic to some.
Medical super glue is a derivative of super glue. Not the same thing. Though it looks and acts the same.
Moringa-farmer
Farm Hand
- Messages
- 12
Dear Ch1Ch2,
You are absolutely correct! My apologies. I don't remember where I heard that it was developed FOR medical use, but apparently that is not the case. I just learned that the "medicinal" variety is more supple, but is of the same chemical compounds. That makes sense for it to be more flexible.
Once, I was cutting the broken portion off the bottom of a fiberglass ladder to save it from the landfill, and the little side-winder 4" grinder disc binded (bound) in a pinched situation, and blew completely apart. Only a tiny bit of sharp shards protruded from the center collar ring, but in the split second that it happened, it jerked the tool from my grasp, relocated it to my bare stomach, and walked its way across my skin for about eight inches! I thought I was gutted for sure! Thank God it didn't have a nasty chunk left protruding to do just that. Anyway, I remembered about the superglue and decided to try it out. I went along and pinched the "trench" back together after applying the glue, and walked that process on up until finished. It was certainly HARD afterward, but it never got infected either. Oh, yeah, I also cleaned it with alcohol first.
That's life in the back-yard!
Yours, and thanks for the clearing up.
Ray
You are absolutely correct! My apologies. I don't remember where I heard that it was developed FOR medical use, but apparently that is not the case. I just learned that the "medicinal" variety is more supple, but is of the same chemical compounds. That makes sense for it to be more flexible.
Once, I was cutting the broken portion off the bottom of a fiberglass ladder to save it from the landfill, and the little side-winder 4" grinder disc binded (bound) in a pinched situation, and blew completely apart. Only a tiny bit of sharp shards protruded from the center collar ring, but in the split second that it happened, it jerked the tool from my grasp, relocated it to my bare stomach, and walked its way across my skin for about eight inches! I thought I was gutted for sure! Thank God it didn't have a nasty chunk left protruding to do just that. Anyway, I remembered about the superglue and decided to try it out. I went along and pinched the "trench" back together after applying the glue, and walked that process on up until finished. It was certainly HARD afterward, but it never got infected either. Oh, yeah, I also cleaned it with alcohol first.
That's life in the back-yard!
Yours, and thanks for the clearing up.
Ray
Petal to the Metal
Golden Chicken
- Messages
- 191
Duck Tape is a specific brand of tape. The brand produces all kinds of tape. Some of it's really pretty so it's great for wrapping presents. When reading the answer, I thought Farm Hand was just making a pun, hence the woo hoo. I don't think he was actually recommending that anyone put tape on the chicken's beak. Digger didn't seem to take it that way either. I hear ya though, none of us wants to hurt our animals so it's good to be clear.
I love duct tape, but I wish it wasn't so darn expensive. It's great for sealing things up.