curage to cull ...

[Soccer Mom]

Sadly, we keep a very sharp pair of kitchen shears for just this purpose. One quick snip and the head is removed. It is horrible to us because of the bloody nature of that death, but it is merciful and quick for the chick being culled. For an older bird, we snap the neck. We had to cull a young bird just yesterday.

You can do this. Just find your inner strength, do it without over thinking it, and then come back here for some hugs.

 

[Kelly G]

More moral support chiming in here...

Last year I ordered 20+ chicks from Ideal. They were all well and healthy except one...and she was sick from day one. I spent more than I want to admit trying to get her well. I did 2 courses of different antibiotics. She seemed to get better - but never completely recovered. She was much smaller than all the others - but she ewas so sweet since she had been handled so much...I felt I didn't have the heart to put her down.

Well, when she reached the POL at about 4.5 months, she became eggbound and died a painful death. I felt so bad. I promised myself if this happens again, I would euthanize the chick as soon as it as clear there was a "persistant failure to thrive."

I'm going to go look for the thread that describes how to euth a chick via C02 (I think). Give me a few mins to see if I can find it...

Found it - here it is: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=147192

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'm sorry you are faced with this decision. Here's a way to euthanize a chick. Leaving it outside would be horribly cruel. Good luck with your decision.
http://www.alysion.org/euthanasia/

 

[sunket77]

thanks everyone for the links this is going to help.... I won't leave it outside but I feel now as if I am starting to be accused of being cruel for something I have not done. I really appreciate the help.

 

[sunket77]

I am definitely going to use this method... I may use a kitty litter bucket ( hopefully that's not to big) this is going to be so difficult to do since she is scratching around in her cage right now but she is also sneezing. I have to keep telling myself I tried my best in spending $40 on her at the vet for antibiotics and fed her special food and she never got better she has been sick most of her life and her hatch-mates have surpassed her, she doesn't even have all her feathers and she is 8 weeks old, she still looks like a baby.

thanks to everyone for understanding how hard this is!

 

[aussieheelr]

This is part of nature. Raising any kind of animal from puppies, cows and poultry. I personally believe it is kind of charactor building that you can do something like this. It makes you a stronger person, more apt then the adverage modern person to do what is right, which usually isn't the easy thing to do.
Many people will make an animal suffer for a long time with an illness just because they can't let it go. I just don't feel like it's right for me to make an animal suffer because I'm not strong enough to do what they need.
My heart goes to you in this hard time. I'm glad someone mentioned the bucket gassing, much easier on the little fellow going "to sleep" like that.

 

[redrocketrooster]

I use dried ice for these situations. It works well for most of any animal, it's very quick and painless.
I use a Styrofoam cooler, place the dried ice in a container with holes in the top (but not touchable) and close the lid with the animal and dried ice container inside for at least 5-10 minutes.
I'm so squeamish, i couldn't imagine letting it loose or doing it with my hands.

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
I don't think, or at least I hope, no one is trying to make you feel cruel. We all search for answers when the difficult parts of chicken keeping arise. 99.99999999999% of the people here are kind and well meaning. Words typed on a screen lack the element of human emotion. Someone telling you that wasn't a good solution in person would have probably have had their arm around you, comforting you. I went though something similar on the predator forum and had to really tell myself not to take it personally. I'm willing to bet if any of these members were near you they would come over and humanely put down your sweet one for you. I know I would.

Mary

 

[JAMcG]

I had the same problem with a chick I hatched, he was sneezing, and was not growing as fast as the others. I fogged him with oxine for a week, which cleared up the raspy breathing and sneezing. He is still "not quite right", and very tiny (well, he's a serama, so he's supposed to be tiny, but he is TINY tiny). I never felt he was suffering, though, so putting him down was out of the question for me. His siblings out grew him, so I have separated him and he is in a private area with a couple small hens that did not develop well, and this little guy is loving life. He even manages to crow this tiny, squeaky crow. His companions also have some minor handicaps of their own, so they don't generally pick at one another. In my book, as long as the chick is eating and drinking, and not suffering, why put them down? My husband offered to "thump" them in the head for me, but I wouldn't hear of it. I will add, though, it is extra time, and work, but, I hatched the little bugger, so now I feel responsible for them!

 

[Kelly G]

Quote:
I read...and re-read this thread, and I really don't think any one of us intended to make you feel accused in any way.

If you told us you wanted to pull out all the stops and employ every heroic measure available...we would support you. If you told us you wanted to end her suffering...we would support that.

It was my intention to share my experience to let you know you weren't alone in deciding to cull if you had to. It's a very personal decision, and I'm so sorry you feel accused of anyhting.