Prefered chick cull method

OMG, I know how your husband must feel. Im the guy in my family that has to do this when any of our animals has to be put down. Im a big ole guy that cries afterwards and Im not right for a day of so. I do butcher animals foor food, and even then I have a day of quiet depression ahead of me. Ill do everything in my power to save a sick animal, but when I see prolonged suffering with no help, Ill put them down.

So sorry about your chick, and sorry for your husband too.   You did the right thing for her, but culling is a very hard thing to do, as I learned first hand last week when I had to cull five of ours(the sixth died on her own).  My husband would have done it, but he's as tender hearted as I am, and as I was their primary care taker, I thought it best to be done by me.

 

I live in town, so I couldn't use the gun, and I don't own a pair of scissors sharp enough to do the job, so I called my dad to see what I should do.  His advice was to use a large rock, I know that sounds horrible, but when done properly it's even faster and more humane than the scissor method.  It also removes the visual of death, as I put them in dark doubled up grocery bags.  The rock I used was twice the size of them and heavy, one solid blow and it was over instantly.

 

I know this method will only work for small chicks, so we'll have to get another plan in place for older girls, when the time comes.  We'll be getting our new batch next Monday.   I hope I'm ready by then, as I've been suffering from severe anxiety since last Wednesday.  I knew taking lives would affect me, but I had no idea how much.   Raising chickens is something I really want to do, and I don't want to let one bad experience ruin it for me, but I really hate feeling this way.

Short of taking drastic measures, I have isolated weak chicks and set them up in a cat-sized pet taxi with fresh shavings, their very own food, water and heat lamp. I had one chick last August fall ill with what appeared to be a vitamin B deficiency, but after a week in the "hospital" with electrolyte water, she recovered fully.

 

I had a freebie from TSC who was not doing well when I picked her up, took her home to see if I could make her more comfortable and she did not make it, but I didn't cull her. I had five (of 9) breeder chicks die this year, just failing to thrive after days or weeks of the same care I've given all my other chicks.

 

I guess you could say I'm a supporter of "survival of the fittest", and as much as I want them to live, I know sometimes they don't... but I also don't feel it's my place to help them along if they're heading out. They will live or they won't, and there's nothing cruel or unusual about doing your best but letting nature take its course. 

I too take every method to save the animal. Speacial care is always the 1st priority when it comes to the sick. But when the animal is laying down gasping for breath and in agony, I will not let that continue. I know Im going to fell terrible for the next couple of days, but at least the animals isn't suffering needlessly anymore.

Oh my - so sorry you had to go through this.  I'm new to chicks - just ordered my first batch, coming in April - I know that some may not make it, but hadn't thought about the fact that I may have to end some of their pain...

I wholeheatedly agree.  I do everything I can to help our chicks survive, but there's a point when you just know that you've done all you can do, and it's best to ease their suffering.  Caring for animals means making decisions in their best interest, and many times that means discomfort on our part.  I've been a mess for days, but I know I did the right thing, and will do it again if the need arises, but I don't expect it will ever get easier.

Oh my, I am new also, and expecting my first chicks the first of April. I hadn't thought about needing to put them down, altough I knew some may not live. that will have to be my husbands job.

Sorry for you little loss.

We had to cull a 2.5 week old chick last week, after much effort to save her I could not watch her suffer.   I do like the rock method.  I honestly don't know what my DH did, and I don't want to know.  I do know it was hard for him.    I feel very strongly about taking on the responsibility to care for animals, meaning with that we also have to accept we have to make choices.    When my horse colic'd  my vet's comforting words (after much effort to turn it around)  said to me, we can hold on til morning but we would be doing it for human reasons not out of what is best for him.    I made the choice to let him go with out further suffering.  Still cry about it 4 yrs later, but there was not going to be a different outcome, only prolonged suffering.