This short guide has kindly been given by Keeping Chickens Newsletter subscriber Christina Raving.
“I have a handicapped peeper who is now five months old. His bill had overgrown, so I just trimmed it the same way my Veterinarian dad had shown me to trim parrot’s beaks.
First you must have a sharp pair of toenail trimmers. These trimmers get old and dull and then need to be recycled since they can’t be sharpened; so start with a good pair.
Hold the chick firmly in your lap, maybe with a towel under it in case of accidents.
Gently open the mouth and clip straight across on the top beak – clipping off all excess right down to the quick, but not damaging the quick. Then shape up the pointed edges, following around the contours of the quick.
Do the same with the bottom beak. Hold the chick firmly and make the cuts decisively so that the chick does not struggle.
Do not squeeze the chick- this is how biologists dispatched birds caught in research nets when they were accidentally injured beyond help. It is quick and lethal and something we absolutely want to avoid with our beloved pet bird.
If you do happen to nick the quick, it is not the end of the world. It will bleed and causes pain, but ultimately will cause no permanent damage.
