2 MAJOR ISSUES!!!

[Fred's Hens]

Tree branch lobbers, small ones of chicks, slightly larger ones for older birds. Quick. End of suffering. Instantaneous. Hatchet, heavy meat cleaver or similar can also work well.

Sadly, this is part of husbandry. It comes with the territory. Hatching is fun. Having lots of hens is fun too. But with having and making so many critters, the likelihood of having to face pain, suffering and terminal disease is part of the package. If we are going to do chickens, then dispatching is part of what we must accept, We feel bad, we don't enjoy this part, but we accept it as part of our responsibility. Fast, quick, determined, final.

 

[Happy Chooks]

How does your husband do it thats fast and painless?

Sharp pruning shears for chicks. Dig the hole for the little one first, so you can just drop it in when it's done and cover it up. It's fast and painless on the chick, sorry I can't say the same for the human. Hardest thing I've ever done.

Older chicks and adults, I've had to use a hatchet.

 

[LuisaD]

welp, I couldn't do it... so I brought them to the wild life rescue 4 houses down from the house and they put them down, and then it becomes food for their hawks... but I couldn't do it on my own... so that was my best option... bawled like a baby, since they have been my life the past 3 days...!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Take a breath. You did the right thing. This chicken raising is both rewarding and heart breaking. It takes maturity and responsibility to do the right thing. We're very proud of you. Not to be too Maudlin, but as humans we have the joys and sorrows of life. It is life. I hope you find joys to compensate in the days to come.

 

[erinchelsea]

Good for you, sounds like the best solution for a sad situation. Sorry you had to go through that.

 

[Happy Chooks]

You did the right thing.

It's never an easy thing to do.

 

[LuisaD]

Thanks, and thanks for all of your help!

 

[speckledhen]

You did well. This part is never easy. I hate it, hate it hate it, but it's necessary sometimes. A good quality of life is what we should always strive for with our flocks, in my humble opinion. One day, there will come a time when you are the one who must act on a bird's behalf, you personally. You will rise to the occasion, even if you cry your eyes out afterwards. Being sad about it is okay, as long as you do what needs to be done. I don't say that lightly, trust me, as we've had to help birds on to what I call that Great Roost in the Sky. The longer you have chickens, the more situations will arise where a hard decision must be made.

I think folks who process their own meat birds have a much easier time of it, even when it's euthanizing one they're attached to, because they have the nuts and bolts part down so well, but not all of us chicken keepers will ever have that experience of processing our own meat, so putting down a bird seems foreign.

 

[EweSheep]

You did well! You made the ultra decision of sacrificing the chick to feed another......just a win win solution! Nothing wrong about crying, we are all human and we want to do the best for our chicks despite of our efforts, some are not meant to be alive one day longer.