Culling a Chick

[Renee']

What's the most humane way to cull a five week old sick chick? I don't want it to suffer.

 

[FrenchHen]

Kitchen shears to remove the neck.
I'm sorry!

 

[silkiechicken]

Yep, shears if the chick isn't too big. If it's too large and you think you may slip or the neck might get out of the shears, a butcher knife or axe would also work. Just if you do it, be confident and do it in one quick snip or chop.

Sorry about the chick.

 

[Rainbowbirds-of-a-Feather]

I know this will be hard but a knife. Slit the throat. I am so sorry, I sound like a killer. But that is how you cull an adult. Other than that I have only seen feral hens just continue on with buisness and abanden the weak chicks.

Or you can take it to the vet to do it that way.

 

[A.J.'s]

what? the vet would charge 25 dollars! and then he would take his scissors and cut the head off simply and quickly. no way!
I had to do it one time with a chick about 4 weeks old, it had its legs spraddled and I worked many wasted hours trying to hellp it. I even build a sling and fixed it so it could stand a bit but it became so pitiful I had to do more. In a fit of pity and desperation I took it out of that stupid sling and with some sharp scissors I just simply took one good snip and took its head off. I did the deed at the edge of our yard and over a plastic bag and as fast as I could i tied up the bag and left it laying for my dh to take care of.
I was so relieved to have that over with. I had agonized and worried and that one chick took me away from so many things that needed my attention.
Somewhere in the great unknown, out there were there is justice and peace for all, there was an understanding that it was for the best for all.

 

[Renee']

Thanks for the information everyone. I think she knew I asked because she seems to have snapped out of it and started eating. I'm going to get some medicine today.

 

[silkiechicken]

What kind of medicine? Do you know what she has? DO NOT give an antibiotic as a preventative if you don't know it is a bacterial infection. That is a excellent way to make them useless due to resistance genes. Useless on both them and you when you need to use them to fight infections due to scratches/bites/surgery.

 

[Renee']

I completely understand your concern. I'm not a vet, nor am I a doctor but I would assume that excessive sneezing, difficulty breathing, and an eye crusted closed and covered in a lens of puss would indicate and infection so I purhcased an antibiotic. The lens of puss was absolutely disgusting. It looked just like a contact but it was puss. Grrrrross. Do you think I should administer the antibiotic?