Had to cull my crippled chick- Vinegar and Baking Soda Method

Had to cull one of my my two week old chicks. I got it from the feed store and it was about two weeks. It went down on its legs for some reason and the joints were looking terrible. Even though it was still active and eating and drinking- Didn't want it to suffer having to flop around the rest of its life. Leg joints were already swelling and getting raw from crawling around. I grew up in the country and could have broken its neck or cut its head off , but my mother and my kids just couldn't deal with that- So what I did was modify a method I saw somebody else post on here. I put it in an ice cream bucket and put a margarine dish in beside it. I poured some baking soda in the margarine cup and then then poured about half a cup of white vinegar in also. I immediately closed the lid when it started bubbling. It only took a minute and he was gone. Now I know the little thing won't suffer any more. I read that this anethitizes them first and then they stopped breathing. This worked very well and seemed to be the most humane and less messy method . Just thought I would share that with you guys in case you have a sick chick. I just couldn't stand the thought of him going through life hopping around in the dirt and mud and being miserable.

Wow, that's great to know! What chemical is produced that kills the chick?

carbon dioxide

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I think Co2 , but not sure. The thread I got this off of made a chamber and put the chick and and mixed the vinegar and baking soda and ran a hose into it. But seemed kinda complicated so I just used the ice cream bucket and the margarine cup. It went really fast and just looked like it was sleeping when i opened the lid. I've been putting off culling it . I had given it vitamins and some more stuff I've seen recommended on here but it had no effect. It's leg joints were getting so swollen and raw that I was afraid later on it would be in even more misery.

how much baking soda to vinegar ratio, please? my concern is..finding a totally airtight container to do this in...thanks for the info! so sorry about your chick!

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I just poured enough soda to cover the bottom of the margarine dish and then i just poured in vinegar- About half a cup . I had a margarind cup inside a gallon ice cream bucket. As soon as it starting fizzing I put the lid back on the ice cream bucket. The chick was in the ice cream bucket beside the margarine cup. So he didn't get wet or anything . Guess the gas produced just filled the ice cream bucket and Put him to sleep. I thought this might be a little easier on the chick than the freezer method. I dont think the fumes are very harmful for people , unless you were in an airtight place and that's the only thing you could breathe. It's the same principle as those volcanoes that we used to make at school.

Wow, thank you for that post. I am glad I now know a way to quickly dispatch one. I hope I never have to, maybe now that I know how, I won't.
A little scary, though, that's the mixture I use to clean my drains and stains off my wood furniture. I wonder if me or my family (two legged, four legged and feathered, and the 1 no legged pet) can be affected by me using that to clean.... food for thought, thank you. I will clean with windows open from now on.
*edited for spelling - I'd be dangerous with half a brain...

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Don't think it would hurt humans in normal situations. If the fumes were that dangerous, they wouldn't let the kids make those volcanoes. But the vinegar does stink , but it wasn't that bad.

Thank you. This I will try next time I have to cull anything. I just HATE culling, but one can not let these guys suffer. Death does have its benefits.

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The volume of Co2 produced by mixing relatively small quantities of baking soda & vinegar would not be enough to affect you, your children, or pets. The purpose of the AIRTIGHT, CLOSED container is to contain the amount of Co2 at a level that produces the loss of consciousness, then a painless death. Think about people who commit suicide by CO (carbon monoxide, not carbon DIoxide) by using automobile exhaust. It has to be in a contained area or the auto has to be surrounded by debris that causes the concentration of gas to enter the passenger cabin. Baking soda & vinegar (and chlorine bleach as long as it's not mixed w/ other cleaners) are some of the BEST natural and environmentally friendly cleaners you can use. Unless you're mixing HUGE amounts of baking soda & vinegar, you can clean to your heart's content and leave your windows closed.