So I had to put down my 1.5 year old rooster today. He got a bum leg and it never got better, this week he became far more weak and the others started to bother him. Last 2-3 days I would find him just sitting in random places, unable to move much and very thin. I would put him in front of food and he would eat deep into the night. Today he moved just 4-5ft from the food to the outside step of the coop. Luckily for him, my fiance bought a fancy fantasy 2 sided hatchet, it came in SHARP and with a cover. I had bought a new Lowes hatchet, but gawd is it dull! He was out in one good hit, not totally separated, but out. He's in chicken heaven now, no more getting his head and comb pecked to a bloody mess and he can walk again. Made me tear up, but it was for the best. Cannot tell you how much importance it is to use a sharp ax! He was my baby, I was hoping to keep him until old age, but it wasn't meant to be. I do still have his son and chicken wife, so not a total loss.
I'm just really glad the hatchet was as sharp as it was. It would of just killed me to torture him with a dull one... I knew when he first started with the limp, 1-1.5 months ago, that he had to be put down. I saw him and just went "..............ugh........"
Sometimes the best decisions for our chickens are the hardest ones for us. You did what was best for your bird.
Now I have the white roo w/brown on him that I need to rehome, I have an odd soft spot for roosters. Even more strange, all rooster I raise, always end up friendly and loving, all of them!
Sorry you had to cull him. I had to do the same with one of my RSL hens. Used a hatchet from harbor freight that I used a sharpeneing stone on.One chop for death thank goodness.
