Culling a 4 1/2 week old chick?

[paxfarms]

I know what the right thing to do is, but I just need confirmation that it is indeed the right thing.

I have a little 4 1/2 week old chick that has a severe cross beak. Her lower jaw is in bad, bad shape. I've tried giving yogurt, chick crumble, wet crumble, and she can eat none of it. I have been feeding her raw eggs from a medicine dropper for the past week and I can't feed her enough to even get her to gain weight. She was 5.8 ounces last Saturday and she is 6.4 tonight. Her sister is almost 12 ounces, up from 9 ounces on Saturday. She is completely unable to preen. I don't know if she is taking in any water or not. I can't tell for certain, but I doubt she's getting much if any considering she's unable to eat anything. I dropped a piece of chick starter crumble directly on her lower beak and she wasn't even able to get that into her mouth. She also has started losing chest feathers and a few on her back. I'm assuming this is likely caused by malnutrition, but I guess it could be a mini molt as well. I'm not sure.

Otherwise, she is fine. She isn't lethargic or weak. She flies out of the brooder and onto my lap at feeding time. She pecks (unsuccessfully) at everything in the brooder. She plays with her sister. She's a normal chick.

The reason I believe culling is the right move is because she'll never be a normal chicken, even with adjustments and modifications, she will never have a decent quality of life.

I have never culled a chick before and my heart is completely broken by the thought of culling this one.

So as one last desperate attempt, is this the right move?

Please excuse her messy little self. The pictures were taken right after a feeding and she makes such a mess eating.

 

[Pork Pie]

I would cull a chick with such issues, most certainly.

 

[Notaneggspurt]

I'm so sorry. For me culling would be the choice. Mainly because I know I would not be able to provide the care needed for a quality of life.

 

[The Phantom]

I’m sorry, I would cull her.

 

[paxfarms]

That's what I thought.
Thank you all so much. As much as I hate that the situation, I truly appreciate the honest opinions!

 

[The Phantom]

 

[ChickNanny13]

 

[BlueBaby]

I'm sorry that you ended up with a chick with that cross beak like that. I would have culled it before now, so it wouldn't have had that time to grow on me. With one that has a beak like your's, it would have to be a life-time commitment of feeding it because it wouldn't be able to live on it's own. You wouldn't be able to breed it, because it could be hereditary and you don't want it to take root from being bred into your flock.

 

[thecreekhouse]

I know what the right thing to do is, but I just need confirmation that it is indeed the right thing.

I have a little 4 1/2 week old chick that has a severe cross beak. Her lower jaw is in bad, bad shape. I've tried giving yogurt, chick crumble, wet crumble, and she can eat none of it. I have been feeding her raw eggs from a medicine dropper for the past week and I can't feed her enough to even get her to gain weight. She was 5.8 ounces last Saturday and she is 6.4 tonight. Her sister is almost 12 ounces, up from 9 ounces on Saturday. She is completely unable to preen. I don't know if she is taking in any water or not. I can't tell for certain, but I doubt she's getting much if any considering she's unable to eat anything. I dropped a piece of chick starter crumble directly on her lower beak and she wasn't even able to get that into her mouth. She also has started losing chest feathers and a few on her back. I'm assuming this is likely caused by malnutrition, but I guess it could be a mini molt as well. I'm not sure.

Otherwise, she is fine. She isn't lethargic or weak. She flies out of the brooder and onto my lap at feeding time. She pecks (unsuccessfully) at everything in the brooder. She plays with her sister. She's a normal chick.

The reason I believe culling is the right move is because she'll never be a normal chicken, even with adjustments and modifications, she will never have a decent quality of life.

I have never culled a chick before and my heart is completely broken by the thought of culling this one.

So as one last desperate attempt, is this the right move?

Please excuse her messy little self. The pictures were taken right after a feeding and she makes such a mess eating.

View attachment 1652568 View attachment 1652569 View attachment 1652570

I would absolutely cull her. It’s the most humane thing you can do. You will soon be unable to get enough food into her even with an eye dropper so she will begin starving. It’s never kinder to let an animal starve. I’m really sorry that you’re having to deal with this.

 

[aart]

I'm sorry that you ended up with a chick with that cross beak like that. I would have culled it before now,

Same here...but first time is hardest.
Experience is a dear teacher.