Best way to end the suffering?

[tuskajones]

Just wanted to get some thoughts on how others deal with this.

I have 25 four week old cornish x. They have been outside for one week now. Everything was fine until I checked on them this afternoon and one was clearly lethargic, liquid poo. I am going on the assumption that this is cocci. I isolated the one bird and I have put ac vinegar in their drinking water as a precaution. They have been moved everyday but we have had some really wet weather. It gets pretty warm under the tarps of my tractor so I am attributing the cocci to this.

Anyway, the one bird is not going to make it and I am not going to try to nurse it back--too far gone. I really don't want to let it suffer any more. Do you just let it die a natural death or do you cull it. Exactly how do you cull it? Chop its head off? Drown it?

We had a chick in the original shipment that was definitely not going to live and was obviously added for warmth. I couldn't watch anymore as the others picked it apart. I had my husband put the little guy in a container of water to drown it. Tough I know but believe me it was the right thing to do. This current bird is a little older and I thought there might be a better way to send it on its way to the big coop in the sky.

Thanks,

Kelly

 

[hencackle]

A sharp hatchet or knife is what my neighbor uses. It's quick.

 

[Bawkadoodledoo]

big hatchet. don't drown any more, have you ever been held underwater?

 

[tuskajones]

Yes didn't like the drowning idea that's why I posted.

 

[eggzettera]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=43460

Everyone has their "prefered" method, I personally am a coward & go the ether method.....

 

[greyfields]

I shoot them personally when it's obvious they won't recover. I feel an instant death is better than a slow, painful one. If it's cocci they are essentially starving to death, which isn't the best thing.

 

[arlee453]

hatchet or sharp knife. One quick hit and it's all over and they don't know what hit them.

I've said it before and i'll say it again - it may not be the easiest on the human, but it is the quickest, surest and least tramautic for the chicken over suffocation or freezing methods.

 

[willheveland]

I think nothing is quicker than a axe.
I've heard but never tried,euthanizing a chick by putting them in a jar with a peice of cloth soaked with starting fluid(ether)then putting the lid on..I heard it is very quick and painless.Anybody heard of this.
Can you post a picture of your pen?Do you really think the tarps are making it too warm in there?Show us your set-up maybe someone can help. Will

 

[hdchic]

I do the axe thing myself as well. Had an old hen that was obviously going down hill, and it was fast and painless for her. Same with the baby Cornish x.

I think that as humans caring for our animals, we also take on the responsibility of doing the right thing, but making it as painless as possible. Just my 2 cents.

 

[MrsCountryChick]

Sorry to hear of your bird

. I'm with you on wanting a humane 'easy' way to help the bird from suffering. I've was raised a country girl, but could never do anything myself. But I read on here how someone had a terrible accident that killed their adult chicken from applying topical creme that contained benzocaine. Used as a pain killer ingredient for a topical ointment treatment. It's a form of anesthesia that can kill a bird or reptile. I guess it's even used as a humane way of euthanasia.----seen info on a website about it. I guess the benzocaine can also kill reptiles also. I guess it works Very quickly, puts them to sleep then they're gone. The person who had their bird die just added a normal amount (like you would sunscreen cream I guess) to the birds comb & waddles. Then the bird sat & then fell over & died. I guess it must absorb into their system thru their skin pores of the comb & waddle. Sorry about you bird tho. But that's Waaaay more humane to have them fall asleep & die than to have someone use an ax. Again sorry about your bird

But a tragic accident from one person's experience atleast can possibly bring peace in the end to other suffering birds.