APRIL Hatch a long ......Anyone?

[Shellz]

Happy Easter everybody! Good luck all with your hatches.

 

[goodb]

How would you humanely kill a chick that is deficient. This one has not been able to stay off of it's side or back since hatch last evening. I've kept in the incubator because those in the brooder will run all over it. It hatched late last night and despite me working with it, the left leg doesn't seem to want to function. When I hold it in the right position, it always has it's head up as if it's looking at the ceiling. Not wanting to see it struggle, how would you humanely and respectfully kill it?


In case you're wondering, it's a Black Australorp.
Thank you for your replies.

 

[czoellner]

Yesterday was day 21 and got 3 pips.... nothing until today. Finally one hatched and 3 more trying. Nothing on the other 8 yet. Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[winteree]

How would you humanely kill a chick that is deficient. This one has not been able to stay off of it's side or back since hatch last evening. I've kept in the incubator because those in the brooder will run all over it. It hatched late last night and despite me working with it, the left leg doesn't seem to want to function. When I hold it in the right position, it always has it's head up as if it's looking at the ceiling. Not wanting to see it struggle, how would you humanely and respectfully kill it?


In case you're wondering, it's a Black Australorp.
Thank you for your replies.

the best way is by carbon monoxcide posining this is and other ways are in the culling section of this page https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101 at the end of the first post it's quick the chicks drop in a matter of 20 seconds to two mintues

 

[Drache]

How would you humanely kill a chick that is deficient. This one has not been able to stay off of it's side or back since hatch last evening. I've kept in the incubator because those in the brooder will run all over it. It hatched late last night and despite me working with it, the left leg doesn't seem to want to function. When I hold it in the right position, it always has it's head up as if it's looking at the ceiling. Not wanting to see it struggle, how would you humanely and respectfully kill it?


In case you're wondering, it's a Black Australorp.
Thank you for your replies.

I am lucky that I have access to gas anesthetic that I use to cull chicks. Other people use at-home methods that I am sure they will be happy to discuss with you. I don't mean to question your judgement on this issue. You are the only person here who can observe this chick in person. But I would encourage you to perhaps give this chick a little bit more time. I have not been doing this for long, but it seems to me that I have had several chicks who spent quite a lot of time wallowing around before they finally found their feet. They can survive on their absorbed egg yolk for several days, so he is probably not starving yet if he just hatched last night. Have you considered giving him a timeframe to get his act together, such as 48 hours after hatch? That's usually how long I wait before I decide. In my own (granted, limited) experience, I have had healthy chicks that just laid around chirping for a day or two and then started walking just fine.

Again, no disrespect meant, just a recommendation based on what I have seen with several of my own hatches.

 

[JitterbugFarm]

I am lucky that I have access to gas anesthetic that I use to cull chicks. Other people use at-home methods that I am sure they will be happy to discuss with you. I don't mean to question your judgement on this issue. You are the only person here who can observe this chick in person. But I would encourage you to perhaps give this chick a little bit more time. I have not been doing this for long, but it seems to me that I have had several chicks who spent quite a lot of time wallowing around before they finally found their feet. They can survive on their absorbed egg yolk for several days, so he is probably not starving yet if he just hatched last night. Have you considered giving him a timeframe to get his act together, such as 48 hours after hatch? That's usually how long I wait before I decide. In my own (granted, limited) experience, I have had healthy chicks that just laid around chirping for a day or two and then started walking just fine.

Again, no disrespect meant, just a recommendation based on what I have seen with several of my own hatches.

I agree.... I had one that would flip over onto its back the first 24-36 hours and now its fine.

 

[goodb]

I am lucky that I have access to gas anesthetic that I use to cull chicks. Other people use at-home methods that I am sure they will be happy to discuss with you. I don't mean to question your judgement on this issue. You are the only person here who can observe this chick in person. But I would encourage you to perhaps give this chick a little bit more time. I have not been doing this for long, but it seems to me that I have had several chicks who spent quite a lot of time wallowing around before they finally found their feet. They can survive on their absorbed egg yolk for several days, so he is probably not starving yet if he just hatched last night. Have you considered giving him a timeframe to get his act together, such as 48 hours after hatch? That's usually how long I wait before I decide. In my own (granted, limited) experience, I have had healthy chicks that just laid around chirping for a day or two and then started walking just fine.

Again, no disrespect meant, just a recommendation based on what I have seen with several of my own hatches.

I appreciate that and am trying to help it find it's feet. I would like this one to make it as it would #4 of my spring hatch and hope for the best. Yet I also need to prepare for the worst. I have him still in the incubator and am trying to build little hills with the towel for him to lay in so he can feel what normal feels like. I'm still trying. In the meantime, my others are all doing well. The 3 others I hatched are gaining strength and integrating well with the Buckeye chicks. In the meantime, keep rooting for this one, he is currently showing glimpses of "getting it".

 

[Kassaundra]

How would you humanely kill a chick that is deficient. This one has not been able to stay off of it's side or back since hatch last evening. I've kept in the incubator because those in the brooder will run all over it. It hatched late last night and despite me working with it, the left leg doesn't seem to want to function. When I hold it in the right position, it always has it's head up as if it's looking at the ceiling. Not wanting to see it struggle, how would you humanely and respectfully kill it?


In case you're wondering, it's a Black Australorp.
Thank you for your replies.

I read the further posts before replying so know you are attempting to help this little one. I agree w/ giving it time, I had 6 this hatch in ICU (the incubator) for nearly 2 days after the main group were in the brooder, and several of those were ones I KNEW wouldn't survive, but w/ a little time they managed. In that vain, have you hobbled his legs w/ a bandage? That will keep them in the proper position and strengthen the muscle memory of the weaker leg. I had 3 or 4 that needed hobbling this hatch (a first for me) one needed it for 3 ish days, one only for 12 ish hours and one for 2 days, all are walking fine now.


Now if the time comes and nature doesn't "do it" for you, most people who euthanize young chicks do it w/ a scissor or sharp garden snip at the neck. Some suffocate and or freeze (various gasses and or a baggie in the freezer) I have to say both of these (gas and freezing) I find inhumane as a personal opinion. I however am a complete wimp when it comes to euthanizing chicks, and cannot bring myself to cut the neck, I use my pellet gun that I use for butchering the grown roos. It is a bit of overkill, but it is instant.

 

[subhanalah]

I agree on letting him see if he gets it. It took a day for my runt to get his feet, and last month I had a chick it took about 3-4 days, but couldn't tell it from the others once it did.

 

[lareynadenada]

We went into lockdown today,,,anyone else?