Best way to end suffering

[teacher hatcher]

I recently hatched chicks in grade two classroom. Four perfect chicks arrived two days past our hatch date but there was still a great deal of movement and very loud cheeping from one egg in the incubator. Friday a small hole appeared but little progress was made all day. Saturday morning I found it had hatched but had severe leg and foot problems. I attempted to splint its curled toes with 'chick shoes" and to adjust his spalyed legs but it was obvious that these measures were not helping- and probably adding to its suffering. The vet in my areas is closed today and I could not bring myself to carryout any of the other methods of euthenizing the chick. I found great info at "Small Animal Euthanasia at Home" which explained a simple Co2 chamber which I was able to do. The chick, and myself, are now at peace.

 

[coloradogal]

I used the soda stream CO2 method when I had a baby with a prolapsed vent that needed to find her way to the rainbow bridge. Sorry for your loss.

 

[teacher hatcher]

The Co2 method worked as promised- quickly putting the chick to sleep and then ending its life. There was no trauma that I know of, aside from that of suffering from splayed legs and curled toes and my attempts to fix them. I've buried the chick and now and trying to decide if or how to explain the loss to my combined class of 46. I'm thinking the truth is important but perhaps I'll edit the part about me euthanizing it and say that it passed in its sleep instead. While I am glad it is over, I must admit that the house seems much too quiet without his singing.