When to cull?

[Kjukkjuk]

so my little Isbar "Runt" has seemingly out of nowhere developed a lame right leg. no visible or palpable injury, no bumblefoot, no sickness that i can sus out, and she's not egg bound. i have her out front, in a large dog kennel with a tarp over it because of all the rain lately. she has access to the yard and uses it to hop around and eat and drink. her condition is not improving as far as i can tell and it's been almost 3 weeks now. suggestions?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Most people on this site will spend boundless hours trying to retrieve a bird.

Bottom line is, do you want weaknesses to be propagated in your flock?

It is best to cull early and often - only breeding the most robust birds for the health of the flock and the breed..

 

[Kjukkjuk]

yeah i get that loud and clear. i got 6 out back doing really well and another 3 or 4 on the way in spring/summer. this was just a wrench in the routine that i hadn't experienced yet. so for now the lame legged one is by herself out front until she recovers or i just send her off to the big sky coop.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They also taste just like chicken.

 

[Kjukkjuk]

lol this is true... although... when i feed them frog legs for a tasty treat their eggs taste like frog legs

 

[Kjukkjuk]

Big sky coop! I've culled two before with a real big zombie killin' knife and put 'em in the ground for the trees. This one I just couldn't do it so went to the trouble of making a big nest bin with dry ice in the bottom and waited until night when she was asleep, moved her into the bin, waited until she settled back to sleep, then put a bit of water in the bottom and put the lid on. Not a sign or sound of distress and that was that. She'll have irises growing above her next spring.