Broken beak

solo_birdlover · Post by **solo_birdlover** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 2:08 am

Ok. So I'm having a streak of bad luck with one of my finches all of a sudden. Three days ago I noticed the tip of the lower beak was broken. It's a very small part that's missing but I have no idea how it happened but I'm almost positive it happened after I put some spray millets (first time) but also the bird had been picking at the plastic seed cup for whatever reason. I was depressed because of it but noticed the bird was doing fine until just a few minutes ago when all of a sudden almost 1/4 of the upper beak just broke off and now I'm very depressed and worried and sad for the bird. The bird didn't fly into anything. I was just reading something on the net and found some info that says sometimes birds try to crack something really hard which can cause the beak to break. Now I don't know if this finch is doomed. Is there any way the beak will grow back again ? I don't even know if the bird will be able to survive now. I think it can still pick seeds up from a cup but I don't know if it will be able to peel them.If the beak does grow back, is there anything I can do to help the bird until then? I almost always put liquid vitamin in the water.

summert85 · Post by **summert85** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 2:25 am

I'm so sorry that happened. poor thing. I'm not sure, but i think the beak should grow back with the right nutrition. wait to see what others say. what are u using for seed dishes? do they have cuttlebone? do they have a wood perch to clean their beaks? wood perch is also good for their feet. what are u using? these are just some stuff to consider.

solo_birdlover · Post by **solo_birdlover** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 2:56 am

Thanks summert85. I'm using regular plastic dishes. These guys never bothered with the cuttlebone. I doubt this finch is going to survive as I'm watching it now and I see it's having a hard time cracking the seeds. Maybe I'll try grinding the seeds or something or get some worms until the beak grows back if it actually does.

Yes I do have wood perches.

summert85 · Post by **summert85** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 3:04 am

that makes me sad,

he will be in my prayer. i hope and wish the best for this little guy. keep us posted

solo_birdlover · Post by **solo_birdlover** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 3:15 am

Thanks. I just put some seeds in the grinder and ran it for a few seconds and now I have a lot of clean peeled seeds. I put them in a small cup and now I see the bird is able to pick the seeds -mostly using her tongue- and just eat them. I just hope her beak will grow back. I'm very sad for this bird but at least I know she can eat for now.

kenny66 · Post by **kenny66** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 5:14 am

solo_birdlover wrote:Ok. So I'm having a streak of bad luck with one of my finches all of a sudden. Three days ago I noticed the tip of the lower beak was broken. It's a very small part that's missing but I have no idea how it happened but I'm almost positive it happened after I put some spray millets (first time) but also the bird had been picking at the plastic seed cup for whatever reason. I was depressed because of it but noticed the bird was doing fine until just a few minutes ago when all of a sudden almost 1/4 of the upper beak just broke off and now I'm very depressed and worried and sad for the bird. The bird didn't fly into anything. I was just reading something on the net and found some info that says sometimes birds try to crack something really hard which can cause the beak to break. Now I don't know if this finch is doomed. Is there any way the beak will grow back again ? I don't even know if the bird will be able to survive now. I think it can still pick seeds up from a cup but I don't know if it will be able to peel them.If the beak does grow back, is there anything I can do to help the bird until then? I almost always put liquid vitamin in the water.

I am very sorry to read about your poor little bird. The beak will grow back and if you can make sure it has a cuttle bone in the cage that will help even the beak out. Calcium supplement in the water my help also-boiling your seed for 6 minutes will soften it up and make it easier to eat-you need to prepare a small amount of this each time-dont leave it in for longer than a day.

Post by **Sally** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:25 am

You can also look for hulled millet, usually available in health food stores or upscale grocery stores. How about eggfood, that would provide nutrition without being hard to eat. I doubt the bird broke the beak on spray millet, but could have been the plastic seed cup. Sorry this has happened to you, but your bird can survive.

PrettyBird · Post by **PrettyBird** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 12:33 pm

poor little thing. Im sorry to hear about this. Can you post a picture so we can see what shape his beak is in

kenny66 · Post by **kenny66** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 4:56 pm

PrettyBird wrote:poor little thing. Im sorry to hear about this. Can you post a picture so we can see what shape his beak is in

i also would like to see a pic

solo_birdlover · Post by **solo_birdlover** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:44 am

Thank you all for the replies and the nice words. I was really depressed yesterday because I thought my bird was going to die as a result of its broken beak. I know birds beaks grow a little bit with time just like their nails but wasn't sure if it was possible for a broken beak to grow a broken tip. Well, I hope it will because it's really sad to see her like that and it will be sadder if she stays like that. The good thing is that the grinder worked pretty well for hulling the seeds that I ended up with a handful of peeled seeds and as soon as I put them in the cage the bird just jumped in and kept eating for maybe 10 minutes. It made me feel good that she was able to eat. Today I came back after work and she's doing ok but she's quieter than usual and sleeps more than usual too but she's not puffy or sick that's for sure. I really feel sorry for this bird because 3 months ago it had an infection in one toe but unfortunately it spread to the other 3 toes and caused them to die. I've had this bird -with its mate- for about 3 years and never had a problem until the toe thing and now the beak. I really hope the beak will heal itself and grow back because this poor bird has had more than her share of problems.
I will try to post some pics later. It's been a couple of years since I posted any pics and I'm not sure if it's still done using photo bucket.

Post by **Sally** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 9:50 am

It's even easier to post photos now. Just go to the bottom of the message area when you are posting a message, you will see a section that says 'Upload Attachment'. Just browse your computer for your photo, upload it, submit, and it's done.

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 10:16 am

Birds' beaks are very much like the human fingernail. It will repair itself depending on where the the break is. The beak is full of nerves also. If the break is on an edge or tip it may regenerate itself. But if the break starts at the outer edge of the beak and runs to the nares it is time to seek a vet's help to avoid infection and further complications.

A picture will help. Most likely the bird either ran into something, hit something with some force to chip the beak, it is strong and can withstand quiet a bit. Millet and a tapping on a cup will not do it unless there was a fracture line from a previous injury and the tapping caused it to break away.

Dayna · Post by **Dayna** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 12:13 pm

cindy wrote:Birds' beaks are very much like the human fingernail.

Just a theory and out of curiosity could it possibly be caused from calcium deficiency? With humans if you don't have enough calcium (especially after or during a pregnancy) your finger nails become very weak and brittle and will break very easily. It can also lead to osteoporosis later on in life, trouble with your teeth etc.
Could it be the same for a bird?

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 12:17 pm

There is a disease called soft beak, you see it in parrots that are not fed properly and are just given a poor quality seed to live on instead of pellets, veggies and supplements.

Can you take the bird out and look at the beak to see any hairline fractures from the point of the break, press on the beak lightly with your nail, if it makes an impression or feels spongy your bird is lacking in its diet.

solo_birdlover · Post by **solo_birdlover** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 5:51 am

Well, it's comforting to know the beak will grow back although the missing part is closer to 1/3 than 1/4. It's not a fracture.
I don't think this was caused by calcium deficiency. I have 3 more finches -including the male Cordon- and I've never had a problem. I almost always put Vitamin in their water but I know it's not the best thing in the world. I give them egg shells every now and then and some greens. Only thing I can't give them is sun light. I'm thinking the bird might have flown into something in the cage although it's been in this big cage for close to 3 years.
I'll take a couple of pics soon and post them since posting isn't the headache it used to be.

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