Chipped lower beak

[Owlet]

Lincoln has had a small chip in his lower beak for some time now but I didn't think much of it because it didn't seem to affect him much but in the past DAY it's gotten significantly worse and I'm really worried. I don't really know why it'd be chipping, could it be a calcium deficient thing?

 

[wrench13]

Pictures or this thread is useless. You should know better Owlet !

 

[Kentuckienne]

That happened to Gus, I took him to the vet who ground it back even and it's been fine since then. Gus has a habit of snapping his beak and it made a small chip get worse. I think having it evened up removed some kind of weakness in the structure.

 

[Scott]

Chips are not uncommon, and further degradation of the site is possible. Has Lincoln been aggressively playing with toys or performing repetitive actions with his beak?

If it is in a benign location I'd watch and wait. If further loss from the site or if from a vulnerable area, might need to see a vet.

 

[Owlet]

I'll try to get pictures if he let's me. He isn't a big chewer but he does grind his beak a lot.

 

[Owlet]

Broken beak https://imgur.com/gallery/l8EIJ

 

[s_car_go]

I would not be concerned. This is normal wear and tear in my experience. I would leave it alone. They grind their beaks to insure they are sharp and that they mesh properly. In a month or so you will not see the chip.

If you grind on the beak then they have to work on getting the mesh between upper and lower to be a proper fit. Just as if a dentist ground one of your tooth i it would not fit properly with the mating teeth.

Just leave it alone. Don't fool with it if its not bleeding.

My birds all grind heir beaks. My Hy uses hard objects to constantly sharpen her lower mandible because she cracks some of the hardest nuts on the planet. She has snapped small pieces off from time to time and they seem to disappear in a month or so.

Just my 2 cent opinion.

Dave

 

[Owlet]

I'm just worried about it not growing back and him having a fraction of his beak gone. It doesn't seem to affect him but I really don't want it to become a problem.

 

[s_car_go]

Its not a problem. Happens all the time in natural settings.

 

[Owlet]

He had the original chip for a good few months without change

 

[wrench13]

Just keep an eye on it, to see if it gets worse. That is a pretty big chip, I dont think it would be wise to have it ground down. Beaks grow all the time, so eventually it wil disappear . Lincoln is so cute in that fist pic.

 

[Owlet]

Lincoln is the cutest, now if only he'd let feathers grow in!

 

[s_car_go]

It will work itself out.

Not to worry.

 

[Owlet]

Could it still be a problem with calcium?

 

[Billdore]

Did you ever end up using that avi-glo? I swear I could see and feel Timnehs beak and claws growing faster. Not sure if it was just from a better diet in general or adding a little of that to her routine. She eats so little of it I wonder if it really could do anything but I did seem to notice a difference. Claws got razor sharp and after trimming two weeks they were razors again. Better for me to let her wear em down on her perch.

 

[Owlet]

I'll try giving him that again.. I always give a lil too much and he starts toe tapping so I gotta take him off. Finding it hard to balance it.

 

[Billdore]

Timneh still eats mashed so I mix it in with that. Most fruits and veggies on her skewer are thrown to the ground and chop ignored.