best way to cull a young chick - please help - never had to do it!!!

[CK Chickadilly]

I would drown it, that is peaceful. Sorry you have to go thru this!

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Do you know any Horse People ? They will have Acepromazine. We have a stock of this for collic and to calm down a big horse. If you can find some of this, it only takes about a 1/2 cc to inject and kill a small chick. It is very humane. Since the chicik is probably very weak you can hold it in your hands with a towel and gently squeeze it (like a snake woud do) until it no longer can draw a breath. Small chicks will not put up much of a fight and they usually pass out before they die. I would NOT do the lighter fluid tying. They tend to struggle with this method. Small chicks are found in the brooder sufocated all the time. The weak ones find thenselves at the bottom of a chick pile and die.

 

[onthespot]

I put my fingers around the base of their head and stretch just a little bit and hold their neck with the other fingers, cupping the chick in the palm of my hand and give a quick twist and they never even peep or move. They go from here to the next life seems like instantly.

 

[fowlafoot]

With drowning and suffocation methods there is a period of time where the chick knows that it can't breathe before it passes out... Personally I break the neck, it happens instantly and the chick never knows what happened. I hate culling and usually leave it to my husband but when it falls to me the only comfort I take from it is knowing that I did what was best for my flock and that the chick died very quickly and never had to struggle for breath or any other drawn out method

 

[BeardedChick]

I use sharp scissors, and don't think about it, just get it over with.

THEN do the crying and apologizing to the chick.

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
That's what I do. If it's too big for scissors, I go with a knife.

 

[Kathy1]

newbie here...new to chicks and never had to cull anything at home only cats and dogs at the vets...So please excuse me if this is a dumb statement

just wondering if you are looking for a gentle way of putting it to sleep , I asssume you will not be eating this chick... why not give it a big does of benadryl?? A big dose, would make it go to sleep and actually od it with it, and it would die in it's sleep. Wouldnt it??

IMO , the starter fluid will give respitory distress I would think it is uncomfortable to go that way.

 

[new_chick]

well its done - i couldn't bring my self to use the scissors - so i wrapped it up in some tissue and popped it in a box and drove over it.... the burried it...appologising as i did it!
thanks for all the advice everyone.

 

[onthespot]

you did well. big hug, it is the kindest thing you can do. Unfortunately, if you breed chickens, you must learn the skill of culling. No one likes to do it, but we all must. May there be many healthy chicks in your future!

 

[Renee]

You did the right thing. Chick never felt a thing.