Euthanizing chicks in shell?

[CostaMesaQuail]

Hi Friends,

Having a tough time on this one.
I have three chicks that pipped and zipped to some degree, but after 24 hours are still stuck.

This is my third hatch and inevitably there are a few that turn out like this. After assisting several, only to have to put them down eventually, I determined myself to longer assist with hatching.

Trouble is, what do I do with the stuck ones? Seems horrible to help them get out only to cull them.

Everyone else is done and the bator needs to be cleaned.

Are there any methods to humanely put them down in shell?

Would appreciate your suggestions.

Thanks
Dave

 

[paneubert]

I freeze my left over/unhatched eggs when I am done. Would work for your situation. Another option would be the method I use when I need to cull chicks/adults. Spray some starter fluid in a seal-able container and it will knock them out and they will stop breathing. Starter fluid is about 50% ether, the stuff they used to knock people out for surgery in the olden days. If you use enough and let them stay in there for a few minutes, it will stop their breathing. I usually spray some, add some crumpled paper towel so that there is a false floor above the fluid, put the bird in so they can inhale it but not get wet from it.

Here is a copy and paste from the last time I wrote it up.

" You buy "starter" fluid from an auto parts store. It is used for spraying into engines to "start" them if they are old. It is NOT the stuff you use to start fires or BBQ grills. The stuff you want has a high percentage of "ether", the stuff they used to knock people out for surgery in the 1800's. You put a towel in a bucket or other container you can seal. Spray a lot of spray on the towel. Put the bird in and close it. They will take a few breath and then pass out. Leave them in there for a few minutes. They will stop breathing. It is the most painless way I know. Most starter fluids with higher ether are marketed as such. Like "high performance". So splurge on the more expensive can if there are multiple options. Or even see if you can find that it says it has “ether” in it. But it should no matter what since ether is a standard ingredient in starter fluid. "

 

[CostaMesaQuail]

I freeze my left over/unhatched eggs when I am done. Would work for your situation. Another option would be the method I use when I need to cull chicks/adults. Spray some starter fluid in a seal-able container and it will knock them out and they will stop breathing. Starter fluid is about 50% ether, the stuff they used to knock people out for surgery in the olden days. If you use enough and let them stay in there for a few minutes, it will stop their breathing. I usually spray some, add some crumpled paper towel so that there is a false floor above the fluid, put the bird in so they can inhale it but not get wet from it.

Thank you so much! We put them in the freezer so it sounds like we did the right thing. Does the starter fluid knock them out only? Or does knocking them out and keeping them in there with it like... suffocate them after they pass out? Just worried they will pass out and wake up in a trash can....

 

[paneubert]

I have never had them wake back up. But I leave them in there for a while. The initial passing out is usually fast. Like maybe 30 seconds. I feel like if I am going to kill something, I should watch to make sure it is effective and not distressing for them. So I use a clear container. Then I leave for a while and come back maybe 5 minutes later and put them in the garbage.