Emergency: I Need Some Advice

[katrinag]

Do you have someone that can? This is not the best way but we use to do this with rats. Hold the by the legs and smash them into the wall.

 

[Crystalchic]

Yes I do. my grounds keeper can do it. He is usually the one that culls for me. My daughter's boyfriend worked in a pet store and the method that they used was to throw the sick animal into the wall. I hope that I am never left alone to care for my animals because I would most likely have to get rid of them because I am weak at the culling process. However I did learn to treat them when they would get injured some how. I am so not into blood and guts, it skeaves me

 

[vscarma]

My chicken has recently been pulling out her feathers,and is lathargic - chirps ocassionally, she is mobile, but she is very protective of an egg. Any idea of what's happening or what to do to help her?

 

[MoodyChicken]

It's possible that it's just a sticky mass of membrane stuck on the chick's head. If they dry out in the egg it's not uncommon for the membrane to bunch and stick like that.

 

[mypicklebird]

is the red mass actually attached, and not just part of the egg membrane? Some of the chicks I have helped out still have red and slimy membranes stuck to them in various spots, which will fall off once the chick is fluffed and dry. A common problem with chicks that don't hatch on their own if the yolk sac is out or the umbilical area is not closed- I have never seen a chick with an open skull, though anything is possible. If you have not culled yet, try tricking a bit of water over the area to see if it lifts off.

 

[MoodyChicken]

If you're sure it IS the brain, just stick the chick in the freezer for 10 minutes. It'll fall asleep and die, no pain, no mess, very peaceful.

 

[TimeMist]

Can you get a picture? Just to get the diagnosis right before you kill it?

If I have to cull I use my kitchen cleaver. It's very sharp and very instant.