Best way to cull a chick?

[aquaponics3712]

I know! This thing is just so hard!

 

[Chuckcluck]

Shouldn't the stuff be called "Ender Fluid" instead of "Starter Fluid"? Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[Vamvakas]

I would say use a BB gun/pellet gun to the head. Using scissors to decapitate chicks sounds really bad.

Or you could use rat poison if your to scared but I think using poison is messed up.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

There is a much more humane way I've heard of by placing a chick in a container with a smaller container of baking soda and the baking soda uses up all the oxygen so basically the chik falls asleep...you'll have to do a search for it!

What you are referring to is baking soda and Apple Cider Vinegar used in tandem. The vinegar (an acid) violently reacts with baking soda (a base) creating large amounts of Carbon Dioxide. Since Carbon Dioxide is heavier than air it displaces all the oxygen inside of a cylinder, ie. an empty coffee can etc. If the chick is also inside of the cylinder it is asphyxiated by the Carbon Dioxide. If you have it you can also use dry ice, a solid form of Carbon Dioxide inside of the cylinder. As the dry ice melts or flashes off it returns to a gaseous state also asphyxiating the chick. This later process is how many bee keepers destroy sick or overly defensive honey bee colonies, the hive is sealed and a slab of dry ice is set on the top of the hive then everything is covered.

Because there is so much going on with these methods, if I only need to deal with one or two chicks I prefer a flea market chefs knife used like a paper cutter to quickly do the same thing that a pair of scissors does.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I double checked our can (medical biochemist here) and the starting fluid is in fact diethyl ether as the first ingredient. There are some propellants listed on the label as well....

The propellant in the starting fluid can is were the petroleum comes in. Things like natural gas and propane are now used in aerosol cans in place of

chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs.
CFCs were eliminated from aerosol cans in the late 1970s to save the Ozone Layer. This happened because first the companies using them voluntary removed them, and later because federal regulations forbad their use. Now LNG or propane gas etc. has replaced CFCs as the propellant gas in spray cans, at least in the United States.​

Diethyl Ether if my memory is correct is produced from ethyl alcohol a component today in gasoline. Ethyl alcohol is also the active ingredient in hooch, beer, or wine. The effect of ether on chickens was first noted about 1550.

 

[spikennipper]

If you are talking about culling a full grown rooster here I would not chop the head off as if you are squeamish as there will be a fair bit of blood, the best least messy way to do it is to use a broom stick by placing the roosters neck under the stick and stepping on each end and pulling the bird up sharply, it's neck will be broken but there will be no blood, it will flap a bit before it dies so hold onto it firmly, they will do this with any method used as the nerves will be shutting down, the bird is not consciously doing this so do not worry. I would consider somebody else doing this for you though that has no attachment to the bird and who can carry the deed out effectively and quickly, he will still be edible as opposed to any chemical methods that are only really suited to very small chicks.

 

[Hillschicks]

Sounds difficult.. We have used an axe up until this point.. Im honestly considering using my pruning shears.. They are heavy duty and ratchet.. Can easily cut limbs the size of my wrist.. Should be quick and with the chicken hanging by the foot already it would be a snip and step back instead of trying to hold a flopping bloody chicken.. As for chicks, i think being gassed and "put to sleep" sounds the best way to go imo

 

[Grace11]

If I had to cull a chick, it would be a quick pull to the neck or the scissors and thats the end. I use the broomstick method on older birds because I do not have the hand strength to break the neck. I have accidently pulled the head off which is disconcerting, but actually handy because then I didnt have to slit or cut the neck to bleed it.

I would think that a bird with the head gone from the body could not possibly know any pain-the head/brain is what "feels" and if the nerves are separated from the head there is no way there can be any pain.

An unusual observation: I killed a rabbit last week, used a bb gun to the brain. I quickly slit the neck, bled it and started processing it to eat. I had the head, feet and tail off and was starting to skin it when I discovered that the back muscles of the animal were twitching-strongly twitching-enough to cause the back legs to flex some. I was flabbergasted! I called a friend that had butchered rabbits in his youth-he said he had it happen to him too on occasion. He thought it was caused by the incredibly strong muscles in rabbits.That rabbit twitched for a full half hour. Never heard of anything like it and never anything like that in a chicken-they can flap and twitch for a while, but once the blood is out, they are pretty much done with any movements.

 

[Aphrael]

If you are talking about culling a full grown rooster here I would not chop the head off as if you are squeamish as there will be a fair bit of blood, the best least messy way to do it is to use a broom stick by placing the roosters neck under the stick and stepping on each end and pulling the bird up sharply, it's neck will be broken but there will be no blood, it will flap a bit before it dies so hold onto it firmly, they will do this with any method used as the nerves will be shutting down, the bird is not consciously doing this so do not worry. I would consider somebody else doing this for you though that has no attachment to the bird and who can carry the deed out effectively and quickly, he will still be edible as opposed to any chemical methods that are only really suited to very small chicks.

I know it has been a while since this post. But I just wanted to add my 2 cents on my experiences with processing extra roos. I tried the broom handle method, but found it too easy for the head to slip loose or for me to lose my balance trying to stand on the stick. Bad for both me and the roo. However, I found that using a piece of rebar works wonderfully. No slipping and no balance issues for me. It is very quick and easy, even for me and I have strength and control issues in my hands from nerve damage.

Anyway, I just wanted to offer a slightly different method that others might find easier to use like I did. I also wanted to thank everyone who posted ways for humanely culling chicks. I have one that hatched today with a badly deformed skull and beak and I have to cull it.

I knew the time would come that I would have to. I accepted it when I decided to hatch and raise chickens. But that still doesn't make it any easier.

 

[dstinett]

I prefer a Mason jar and a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol. Its very quick