Culling... what really goes on?

[wegotchickens]

Quote:
I am sorry but if you put an animal into a small container to euthanize them, be it by gassing, freezing, or whatever, they do not just "go to sleep".. Please read this post that was posted yesterday.. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2747559#p2747559 It is one thing to do it this way for a sick and dying chick if that is your choice but it's different if you are culling for sexing control... I watch craigslist everyday and there are always people who want roos.. One just posted yesterday infact.. I don't think it would be very difficult to find them homes.. Just my opinion... Of course, it didn't help that I watched a video a while back on how they use gas chambers in animal shelters..

Goddess

I think all situations are different.
We used the vinegar/soda method and our egg-bound sickly hens didn't move around at all. We put them in a cardboard box full of shavings on a grate, so that they could cuddle into the nesting box and not get wet from the vinegar. We also made sure we did it in a dark room, so that they'd more inclined to sleep as well.

When culling sickly chicks, I use the quick neck-snap.
But I would use the soda/vinegar method again if I had to for an older bird.

We don't eat our birds, and have pretty successful in finding homes for the unwanted. But if not then I would cull rather than feed them out to be food.

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

This is an older thread but ran across it while finding info on euthanasia. After reading the posts I have a question concerning chicks. Yes, neck popping or decapitating all work for chicks and most seem to only use it for sick or deformed chicks but lets say a breeder who can tell the sex early on say either with vent or feather sexing or after a month by comb and other signs and wants to not raise a bunch of roos that would be hard to sell or even give away. Does anyone 'cull' them as chicks also? One thing I do know is the hatcheries will put the unsold males live into the freezer and sell them frozen to zoos as carnivore food. I know this as I worked at a zoo and this is how we received them.

 

[fc]

Easier way- how 'bout popping them in the head with a pellet from a pellet gun? I remember killing my first rabbit, which was hard. I shot it in the head. From then on I popped them in the head with a hammer. In time it became routine.