Culling chicks, the hard talk

[Sara S]

Why would you die with it? I know you're kidding, but let's not be extreme.

I feel it's important to know how to cull because if you're ever in a situation where there's no chance of recovery, the kindest thing to do is to help the bird to pass ASAP, not to leave it lingering even a minute more than necessary. The first hen I had to put down had been eviscerated by a hawk. But rather than watch her slowly and painfully pass, I broke her neck with a branch lopper. If I had waited for my hubby to get home because I was too scared to do it, she would've had to lie there for at least an extra hour, and I wasn't going to do that to her.

Yes I know, but my chickens helped me through life, and if they really were , my brother would do it. One of my chickens got stolen like 7 months ago snd I still feel a little empty.

 

[Brooks_]

my brother would do it

And if he's not around?

 

[Sara S]

And if he's not around?

He’s always around, my neighbors dad likes shooting things so

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I use a pair of branch cutters once they're feathered out and a pair of SHARP scissors when they still have fluff

I was wondering about having to cull also. especially chicks. My son had to do my first and only sick chick thus far. I had another die on its own but the first one had a broken leg. I keep seeing stuff on people culling "undesirable" chicks or if they have too many roos. Well undesirable like: some of my silky chicks have 4 toes. I am getting rid of the hen with 4 toes even though i love her as long as as she goes to a good home. Anyways, would or does anyone cull their undesirables or if they have too many roos?

Yes. Though understand 'cull' only means removing from the flock. It does not only mean killing.

I cull my sick and extra males by killing and/processing (only the healthy ones are eaten).

I cull my undesirable females and any lucky males by selling or giving them away. I do my best not to have to process my birds, but I am not always lucky

 

[Tervuren]

Had to cull a baby chick with my first chicks just under a year ago. Little Barred Rock I named Vera. Not quite sure what was wrong, but just general failure to thrive…. I used scissors to decapitate her. It was emotionally difficult, but I couldn’t leave her to just waste away. She’s buried under a lavender bush in my garden.

 

[BastyPutt]

Honestly, I would dispatch it like you would do quail. Just take a pair of pruning shears and take care of it that way. I have also heard of people just grabbing the head and pulling really hard.

Oh there is no way I could. Not a bad thing to do it this way, but I have a hard enough time with cutting heads off already dead broilers.

More power to you!

 

[Anime2lover]

Had to cull a baby chick with my first chicks just under a year ago. Little Barred Rock I named Vera. Not quite sure what was wrong, but just general failure to thrive…. I used scissors to decapitate her. It was emotionally difficult, but I couldn’t leave her to just waste away. She’s buried under a lavender bush in my garden.

I found it painful as well. Still is painful to cull a baby. A hard hit to the head is how I did it the first time, before I found a batter way.

 

[Grumpy Gnome]

I took about 5-6 years off of raising chickens. It's all coming back to me. And unfortunately, yesterday we had to cull our little 5-day old brahma that was struggling with respiratory issues. We did all we could do for 3 days, but she was suffering.
Culling is a terrible reality of any farm or ranch. But... it's also the responsible thing to do when an animal is suffering.
My question is, what's everyone's approach to having to cull a chick? I know it's not a great thing to talk about. But, if someone is faced with this, and most of us have been and will be again... It's better to have information.
Some people can't just run to a vet to pay to have them euthanized....
So, what's your best advice??

RIP Madeline! You were a sweet girl!!! I'm sorry we couldn't help you more!!
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Hi, n sorry about your cute lil chick. My girlfriend delegates all such duties me. That's my first suggestion: Put it on the Honey_Do list.

I don't raise chickens, yet. I did hunt for years, n we battle mice in the winter. Mousetraps often don't kill.

The most pain-free, instantaneous death I can think of, is using a large wooden mallet. Place the ailing chick on a hard surface, n end them in a millisecond. Shears sound kinda medieval to me. Safety note: Mice can carry some very nasty bacterial or viral diseases. I wouldn't splatter a mouse. You could easily contaminate a large area, n yourself.

I hope you find a way that makes it easier. Good Luck.

 

[PatricaPhelps2995]

How did you kill her

 

[Sussex19]

at that age i would just manually remove the head with my hands

A warning here.
I tried doing that once, as a freshly hatched chick was suffering, and I didn't have anything to snip the neck in easy reach.
What happened, was instead of pulling the head off, I stripped the skin of her neck and head.
I think it was barely conscious by that time, so I can only hope it didn't suffer to much, but it was the worst thing that could ever have happened, for the chick, but also for me, and I'm normally pretty tough with that kind of thing.
I found a spade to finish it off.