Thin beak

[BoyMom×3]

I just took our Eastern Hermann in for a is beak trim. While only slightly overgrown he developed a small crack. They were pleased with his diet and set up but when she trimmed the left side had thinner keratin compared to the right. She said it could just be the way he is since I meet all the diet requirement. My question is, is there a food that can boost keratin? I mean she said the right side isn't thin at all, the shell and nails are healthy so would I need to feed it anything more then what I am already. It's not a bad problem right now because we went right away but I want to keep Moo as healthy as I can. Thanks for any info.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

I'm afraid that's not that easy - keratin thickness is a result of slow growth (one thin layer on top of another). By "boosting" growth you will make this thin layers growing fast and get overgrown thin beak.
In the meanwhile you may reduce the load on his beak by feeding chopped foods and filing the left side of the beak from time to time.

Yet I hope more experienced members can come up with a better solution.

 

[BoyMom×3]

I'm afraid that's not that easy - keratin thickness is a result of slow growth (one thin layer on top of another). By "boosting" growth you will make this thin layers growing fast and get overgrown thin beak.
In the meanwhile you may reduce the load on his beak by feeding chopped foods and filing the left side of the beak from time to time.

Yet I hope more experienced members can come up with a better solution.

Ok, she was very pleased with how his overall health was. That's why she leaning toward its how he is. She said if it was a lack of something in his diet the it wouldn't just be there that would have signs.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Ok, she was very pleased with how his overall health was. That's why she leaning toward its how he is. She said if it was a lack of something in his diet the it wouldn't just be there that would have signs.

Yes, it's unlikely to be a nutritional deficiency. Likely a genetics or a habit to chow more on the left side.

 

[BoyMom×3]

Yes, it's unlikely to be a nutritional deficiency. Likely a genetics or a habit to chow more on the left side.

I do notice when he ears his cucumber treat once a day he favors that side to break through the skin. He regularly chews and eats his cuttle bone since he's a bit older. Never touched it for the first year.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

I do notice when he ears his cucumber treat once a day he favors that side to break through the skin. He regularly chews and eats his cuttle bone since he's a bit older. Never touched it for the first year.

1. So if he prefers to chow with left beak side it explains why keratin there is thinner.
2. He might go for the cuttlebone because he needs more calcium (e.g. going through the growth spurt). That doesn't mean that you have to spinkle calcium powder everyday, you can add some high-calcium foods to his diet like hibiscus or mulberry leaves, opuntia cactus pads and such. Or use calcium powder twice a week for a while. If he is kept only indoors, some sunbathing may help too.