'Dispatching'?

[mudhen]

Please forgive me but I need a seasoned person's help here.
Gumby (6 day old chick in 'splayed legs' thread') is still alive and still unable to eat/walk. I just posted there, but that thread is getting old and I'm not sure anyone will see this. I apologize if this is a break in rules/protocol, but I have nowhere to turn.
PLEASE,
could someone email me (if this is just too sensitive a subject, I understand) with exactly what to do. I can't stand her suffering for so long and the poor little thing is just starving to death.
I am sorry to say I don't know how to 'snap' neck, and am afraid of doing something wrong and prolonging agony.
Please give me specifics. I dread the thought of having to do this but know it has to be done.
Help me someone and I am sooo sorry to be such a bother... just can't bear to see Gumby like this any more...

 

[Forest_Nymph]

http://www.cagenbird.com/splayed_leg.htm

this site might help. Scroll down to the hobble technique. To save it may require constant one on
one care by force feeding (gently) and massage therapy..

I once had an older chick go lame. I confined her to a cage and subdued her to totally depend on me for feed and care. I splinted her leg. for several days. Between cleanings and feedings, I was always holding her and massageing her leg. There was absolutely no sign of an injury. I'm still not sure if it was splayed leg or a torn tendon. Eventually she started walking and feeding on her own and lived several years. (with a hobbled gait though) By the way, this chick went everywhere with me. Visiting nursing homes, traveling to camp, even long shopping trips.

Hope you're able to save your chick too.

 

[mudhen]

Thanks Forest_Nymph , but she's beyond help. Too weak now.
I had to put her down

tears

I really needed to know how to go about it, because I am glad to say I have never had to deal with such difficult task for such a small creature. While I've had to have cherished older dogs or cats die in my arms as they were put to sleep, put that was at a vet's office with a vet administering the injection.

When it came down to it, I was just more concerned about not doing the deed right and making things worse with this little chick.
For those of you in need of help in the future, refer to this link, it was great help for me:
http://www.sialis.org/hospdispatch.htm#how

 

[Forest_Nymph]

I'm so sorry.

Life lessons are the hardest to learn.

 

[keljonma]

.

 

[bigzio]

mudhen, sorry to hear about your peep. This is the hardest part. You did the best you could and all the joy you will get from the healthy peeps will make you feel better.

bigzio

 

[chicknmania]

I'm so sorry for you. That must've been really hard to do. Chickens are such heart breakers (sorta like hamsters

 

[CarriBrown]

I'm sorry to hear about your little guy, but you did the right thing. HUGS

 

[MTchick]

As brutal as it might seem, cervical dislocation is actually the only approved method for quickly and humanly killing a small bird (without drugs) in most scientific research settings. Thus, you did the most right thing you could have given the situation.

For anyone faced with this problem- needing to put down a chick- that is unable to bear the idea of using the above mentioned technique... you can also chill the bird (using your freezer) in a cloth bag like a pillowcase until it slips into a coma and dies. The little thing will not experience pain or suffer because a young bird is so light and delicate that it will fall asleep from a lack of energy quite quickly. The added bonus of this sad but humane way of putting a chick down is that you don't have to watch it die- just set the little bag in there with the chick inside, close the door, and think about how you will enjoy watching all the other chicks grow up big and stong. Sometimes doing it yourself is too much to bear, I'm sure.

Best of luck with your little chicks in the future.

-MTchick

 

[Citychick]

Sorry to hear about your chick.