Anything to do for an injured crow?

J. Marston

I noticed a crow with a broken beak who can't close its mouth in my garden for the past two days.

Throwing food out to it and it can't pick anything up but keeps trying. It's heartbreaking watching the poor fúcker.

Anything that can be done for it?

Feisar

Lead injection

Blaze420

You know how you open the safety cap on a bottle of bleach? That - but with its head.

D3V!L

A quick death would be the kindest thing.

J. Marston

J. Marston wrote: »

I noticed a crow with a broken beak who can't close its mouth in my garden for the past two days.

Throwing food out to it and it can't pick anything up but keeps trying. It's heartbreaking watching the poor fúcker.

Anything that can be done for it?

Had a fella here with the same problem last week. He was trying to eat and getting nowhere. Only thing I could think of was filling a little flower pot with water and putting some bird seeds and pieces of cooked pasta.. basically stuff that was safe and floated on the top of the water so he could dip his whole beak into it and eat.

hynesie08

Best you can do is call your local spca/sanctuary, they'll recommend you throw a box or something over it, then they'll come out and get it. I don't know what they do after that but it's better than it starving to death.

D3V!L

D3V!L wrote: »

A quick death would be the kindest thing.

If it hasn't broken across the bone, the beak can grow back. It's made of keratin same as hair and fingernails.

Also crows have been known to feed each other when this happens. So I wouldn't be too quick to sentence him to death.

Deebles McBeebles

hynesie08 wrote: »

Best you can do is call your local spca/sanctuary, they'll recommend you throw a box or something over it, then they'll come out and get it. I don't know what they do after that but it's better than it starving to death.

Do this OP. Local vets will sometimes help out too but your local rescue, spca should be your first call.

SEPT 23 1989

you could fashion a new beak from an old pair of castanets

he gets to eat again you get that flamenco sound

Sky King

What are you raven about OP?

J. Marston

Deleted User wrote: »

If it hasn't broken across the bone, the beak can grow back. It's made of keratin same as hair and fingernails.

Also crows have been known to feed each other when this happens. So I wouldn't be too quick to sentence him to death.

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

you could fashion a new beak from an old pair of castanets

he gets to eat again you get that flamenco sound

The beak isn't broken off or missing, it's permanently open, like this...



It'll go to pick up food but it can't. Its mouth won't close.

I may try to catch it in a box or something but crows are clever things.

As said above, give your nearest wildlife rescue group a call/email. There is a surprisingly large network in Ireland.

From personal experience of a couple, they responded straightaway, out collected birds. No cost, usually they are vet assessed and its either repair and rehab or not.

See:http://www.irishwildlifematters.ie/animals/contacts.html

J. Marston

J. Marston wrote: »

The beak isn't broken off or missing, it's permanently open, like this...



It'll go to pick up food but it can't. Its mouth won't close.

I may try to catch it in a box or something but crows are clever things.

Oooh I see. That's different. The poor thing. Yeah definitely call in help in that case. Let us know how it goes.

topper75

Wait a sec. Crows do that when they are thirsty. I've seen this before in heatwaves. Maybe several crows hopping around with beak permanently open. It is how they cope with heat. Other birds do it too.

We don't have a heatwave but it has been unseasonably dry for a while now. Is there water about OP?

DO NOT do any 'mercy' killing.

Better Than Christ

J. Marston wrote: »

The beak isn't broken off or missing, it's permanently open, like this...

Maybe he's surprised.

Whatever you do, don't kill him. It'll be twice as heartbreaking if it takes more than one attempt.

J. Marston

topper75 wrote: »

Wait a sec. Crows do that when they are thirsty. I've seen this before in heatwaves. Maybe several crows hopping around with beak permanently open.

We don't have a heatwave but it has been unseasonably dry for a while now. Is there water about OP?

There should be. One or two neighbours have bird baths out front and we're close to a river.

It was only one crow like this though. The other dozen or so who came down for food seemed fine.

I'll google stuff on crow traps!

LeYouth

Go all out Chinese and turn it into a chow mein?

DesperateDan

I've had to kill a sparrow and a frog before. Sparrow got attacked by a cat and was dragging entrails across the floor. Frog met a lawnmower and lost it's legs. Just bloody stringy bits where its legs were as it tried to hobble away. Each time blood everywhere. I bashed their brains in with my heel.

Felt sick after.

New Home

Someone here may be able to point you in the right direction.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=406

whisky_galore

Extreme thirst or maybe eaten something it shouldn't have eaten?

rapul

Sky King wrote: »

What are you raven about OP?

Fail

Danzy

Gapeworm in the throat maybe.

kowloon

LeYouth wrote: »

Go all out Chinese and turn it into a chow mein?

Don't listen to the people who tell you to kill it, they probably enjoyed that sort of thing as kids before they moved on to humans.

pgj2015

J. Marston wrote: »

The beak isn't broken off or missing, it's permanently open, like this...



It'll go to pick up food but it can't. Its mouth won't close.

I may try to catch it in a box or something but crows are clever things.

He probably saw something unbelievable.

Still waters

I saw one today walking on the other side of the road and it didn't even try to fly away as i drove past on my way to the shop, i thought there was something odd about him like maybe a broken wing or something, it was still there on my way back but in the meantime I'd forgotten about it and couldn't stop in time, i like to think it was for the best, poor little fcuker

Is the beak closing at all?

corner of hells

topper75 wrote: »

Wait a sec. Crows do that when they are thirsty. I've seen this before in heatwaves. Maybe several crows hopping around with beak permanently open. It is how they cope with heat. Other birds do it too.

We don't have a heatwave but it has been unseasonably dry for a while now. Is there water about OP?

DO NOT do any 'mercy' killing.

Damn right , hes thirsty.
Take him for a drink , take him to the Crowbar.

J. Marston

Deleted User wrote: »

Is the beak closing at all?

Nope. It'll peck at the food on the ground but the mouth stays open and it can't get it. It's stuck that way for whatever reason.

Corona20

A get well card caws its a nice thing to do?

Respect to you, OP for making a caring effort to help this creature. These guys are very intelligent and are very worthy of the compassion you have shown. Please don't give up on it. It's a good feeling to help a creature in distress. Good Karma to you and well deserved.

riffmongous

J. Marston wrote: »

Nope. It'll peck at the food on the ground but the mouth stays open and it can't get it. It's stuck that way for whatever reason.

Can you try feed it something not solid maybe?

If it's stuck it might be a fracture or dislocation and will need proper treatment..

Fair play for giving it a go anyway, neighbours of mine started taking care of a jackdaw that hurt it's wing and couldn't fly out of their yard and it was amazing how quicky it got used to living in the house with them.