How to cull a chick?

[DirtCreature]

Quote:
Originally Posted by MaransGuy
I really cannot believe some of the suggestions on this thread. The only thing that matters here is the quickest method of death with the least amount of pain or suffering. YOUR amount of comfort or level of squeamishness does not count. If you cannot deal with humanely putting down a chick then do not hatch them. It is not common but sometimes needs to be done. Holding a chick under water or putting it in a plastic bag to suffocate is cruel. The physiological response the animal's body goes through in an effort to get oxygen is incredible. It is hardly a fast or peaceful way to die. The same applies to poisoning through vapors or other toxins. The fastest method is simple decapitation. It is not fun, it is not enjoyable but it is what is best for the bird in need. Anything done to make the process more comfortable for yourself at the expense of the chick is simple cruelty. It amazes me how many people here will rage on and on about how much they love their little fluffy butts yet the conversations often return back to the owner's feelings and emotions. No doubt I will hear about how rude I am being to people right now- again focussing on the owner's emotions than the needs of the animal. Sorry, but in my opinion there is no middle ground here.



X3

 

[ReikiStar]

Quote:
Originally Posted by MaransGuy
I really cannot believe some of the suggestions on this thread. The only thing that matters here is the quickest method of death with the least amount of pain or suffering. YOUR amount of comfort or level of squeamishness does not count. If you cannot deal with humanely putting down a chick then do not hatch them. It is not common but sometimes needs to be done. Holding a chick under water or putting it in a plastic bag to suffocate is cruel. The physiological response the animal's body goes through in an effort to get oxygen is incredible. It is hardly a fast or peaceful way to die. The same applies to poisoning through vapors or other toxins. The fastest method is simple decapitation. It is not fun, it is not enjoyable but it is what is best for the bird in need. Anything done to make the process more comfortable for yourself at the expense of the chick is simple cruelty. It amazes me how many people here will rage on and on about how much they love their little fluffy butts yet the conversations often return back to the owner's feelings and emotions. No doubt I will hear about how rude I am being to people right now- again focussing on the owner's emotions than the needs of the animal. Sorry, but in my opinion there is no middle ground here.

Another vote agreeing that freezing, drowning and suffocating (leaving it in a plastic bag is suffocation) cause immense SUFFERING to the one whose life is being snuffed out. Would you want to endure what you're willing to put a chick/chicken/any animal through? That should be the first thought...not that you're grossed out or will be scarred by the experience. Having animals will expose you to death, there is no way around it. Either you or someone you're with can do the right thing, take it to a vet or learn a technique that works for you and the animal. I shudder to think of all the suffering in the world because people put themselves first and fail to do what's best for the animal.

 

[krista77]

I culled a chick this morning. It was my first time so I came here to read some opinions on methods. I was really just procrastinating though, I knew what I had to do already.

The poor little thing was severely cross beaked and the other hatchlings were already starting to pick on it (they knew what needed to be done too). Anyway, I couldn't bear to use scissors, too close for comfort! So, as someone had suggested, I used very sharp garden shears. That put enough distance between us that I could get it done without squirming (me, not the chick) or hesitation. Over in seconds.

I feel sad the poor little thing made it all the way out of the egg for that. But I am also relieved it's taken care of. Raising animals isn't pretty sometimes!
To end this on a good note... my other two chicks are looking good so far.

 

[WHmarans]

I've wondered if new chicks are very resistant to low oxygen conditions and high CO 2 levels so that they can survive hatch. There cannot be good airflow in that egg compared to the work they're doing and some of them are stuffed in there a long time working on getting out and survive it. So I think cull by CO2 or suffocation is a particularly bad choice for new chicks.

 

[gmendoza]

Quote:
Originally Posted by MaransGuy
I really cannot believe some of the suggestions on this thread. The only thing that matters here is the quickest method of death with the least amount of pain or suffering. YOUR amount of comfort or level of squeamishness does not count. If you cannot deal with humanely putting down a chick then do not hatch them. It is not common but sometimes needs to be done. Holding a chick under water or putting it in a plastic bag to suffocate is cruel. The physiological response the animal's body goes through in an effort to get oxygen is incredible. It is hardly a fast or peaceful way to die. The same applies to poisoning through vapors or other toxins. The fastest method is simple decapitation. It is not fun, it is not enjoyable but it is what is best for the bird in need. Anything done to make the process more comfortable for yourself at the expense of the chick is simple cruelty. It amazes me how many people here will rage on and on about how much they love their little fluffy butts yet the conversations often return back to the owner's feelings and emotions. No doubt I will hear about how rude I am being to people right now- again focussing on the owner's emotions than the needs of the animal. Sorry, but in my opinion there is no middle ground here.

Another vote agreeing that freezing, drowning and suffocating (leaving it in a plastic bag is suffocation) cause immense SUFFERING to the one whose life is being snuffed out. Would you want to endure what you're willing to put a chick/chicken/any animal through? That should be the first thought...not that you're grossed out or will be scarred by the experience. Having animals will expose you to death, there is no way around it. Either you or someone you're with can do the right thing, take it to a vet or learn a technique that works for you and the animal. I shudder to think of all the suffering in the world because people put themselves first and fail to do what's best for the animal.

X2

 

[80monkies]

HOW TO CULL A CHICK IN 1 SECOND.
I think the vinegar death sounds terrible. I would want to be killed my faster. This is how I approached it when I had to euthanize a chick tonight. The chick was born about 7 hours ago. She was very cute orange ball of fuzzy, Unfortunately she couldn't stand, as if her/his head was too big. Her skull seemed to have a protrusion on the back of its' skull. When she would try to get around the incubator, she would sort of fall over. If I would let the other chick near her (hatched 28 hours ago) The chick would peck at it relentlessly at her. I read some things in the evening about how to cull, why to cull and when to cull. To me the vinegar death sounded slow and not a death I would like to have. So this is how I approached it. "If I had to be culled I - how would I want it?" Quick and painless.

So I was running it over in my mind. Why do I keep chickens? I keep them for the eggs, meat and to breed them. I don't know if this chick is a roo or a hen, but I would have to have a separate space for the chick, and then bird as it grew older. I'm not even sure what's wrong with it. If it did live, I would eat the eggs or it's meat, and I certainly wouldn't breed it. So around 1:00 am I went to the incubator, hopeing to see improvement. It was still staggering around, the other chick had infiltrated my barrier and was pecking at it periodically to the point the deformed chick had a bloody foot. I separated them again. Put my dishes in the cabinet and came back to check, thinking I would give her until the morning.

When I went back in she was on her back laying in he water (a coffee can lid with water in it). I said ok, that's it. I am being cruel to keep this chick alive, if it's on it's back it can't get up. So I went outside to gather my required items for the dirty deed. I dug a hole. I got a cinder block and a brick (yes it's 1:00 am I am in my nightgrown in my backyard digging a chick grave). I put the block next to the grave, so I didn't have to carry her anywhere. I held her, told her I was sorry, said a prayer - took a deep breath and struck very hard and very quickly. Within a split-second she was dead. Then came the tears, the horror, the heaving sobs. I slid her into her grave covered her with dirt, but the brick and the cinder block back. Watched my hands thoroughly like Lady Macbeth "out ****** spot"

It was pretty terrible for me, but I am 100% certain it was painless for the chick.

 

[missnu01]

For a newly hatched chick I think I would just use my kitchen scissors snip it's head off.

 

[Melissa F]

I really cannot believe some of the suggestions on this thread. The only thing that matters here is the quickest method of death with the least amount of pain or suffering. YOUR amount of comfort or level of squeamishness does not count. If you cannot deal with humanely putting down a chick then do not hatch them. It is not common but sometimes needs to be done. Holding a chick under water or putting it in a plastic bag to suffocate is cruel. The physiological response the animal's body goes through in an effort to get oxygen is incredible. It is hardly a fast or peaceful way to die. The same applies to poisoning through vapors or other toxins. The fastest method is simple decapitation. It is not fun, it is not enjoyable but it is what is best for the bird in need. Anything done to make the process more comfortable for yourself at the expense of the chick is simple cruelty. It amazes me how many people here will rage on and on about how much they love their little fluffy butts yet the conversations often return back to the owner's feelings and emotions. No doubt I will hear about how rude I am being to people right now- again focussing on the owner's emotions than the needs of the animal. Sorry, but in my opinion there is no middle ground here.

I know this was posted 4 years ago, but I just have to thank the OP for putting it so bluntly. I was hemming and hawing around, trying to get out of having to do the dirty work of culling 2 chicks. A few weeks ago when my boys got 4h peeps one wasn't doing well and I convinced my husband to take care of it. He did, but the chickens are really MY thing, and I knew I wasn't going to feel right about not taking ownership of them. Well yesterday I was the only one home, and a just hatched chick was clearly not in any shape to live- I spent a half an hour searching how to cull a chick (I admit I was looking for a way that would be easy on me) and finally stumbled across this post. It is what finally made me put the computer down and just do what needed to be done. Fortunately (I use that word loosely) that chick was not "cute" yet as it was not even an hour old, so it wasn't as hard as the next one I knew I would have to do, who was a cute, fluffy little guy. I took care of him this morning, and while I'm not feeling good about it in any way, I am glad I did it and it's over. Now I'm going to take my dog on a long run and clear my head.

 

[ZoeS95423]

I could never cut ones head off with shears.
We have only had to cull 3 chicks, and we would shoot them in the head with .22 birdshot.
Basically there wouldn't be much left... But I know they don't suffer.
If it came down to it, and I had no options I would try running it over with my car tire.

Once time, I had a full sized hen get attacked by a fox, and she only had a broken leg, I tried to fix it by making her a splint, without success I finally decided to end her misery, but I didn't want to her to go to waste. She was full grown and large, but I didn't want to eat her.. I brought her to the Amish. They were very happy to take her!

 

[podgal]

I am being faced with this issue as we speak. Thank you for the posts. I appreciate all the suggestions, critiques, and personal stories. It's good to know we're not alone dealing with this and that there are answers.