# Jutting out lower beak



## clucklucky (Apr 5, 2016)

One of my hens has a lower beak that sticks out almost half a centimetre most than the top. I bought her that way, had her for a year, so she's obviously able to eat. However I've noticed that she has to work harder to pick up pieces of food.
Is it okay to file down the lower beak a bit to make it easier to eat? Would that hurt her at all?

Any experience would be appreciated. Thanks xx


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I wouldn't.

What you have is a battery hen. They cut that upper beak to prevent the picking at other birds that goes on under the stress of over crowding and boredom that ensues in commercial enterprises.

Make sure she has a deep bowl for her feed. If you're using pellets try switching to crumbles to see if she has an easier time eating.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

What Robin said. I had a chicken that came from a hatchery that way. It prevents pecking. I always made sure that her water and food bowls were deep. She was probably my fattest cleanest chicken. Go figure.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I concur with Robin and Karen. You can add water to her feed in a deep bowl to make a watery gruel. She'll gobble it up, guaranteed.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Is that hen a victim of "debeaking"?I've seen it offered at the hatcheries.If it is,the end result is awful.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

CQ, yes, that's debeaking. How barbaric! I heard some places don't do it any more. It should be outlawed.


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