From egg to chick!

[ElfenLied89]

I am a no on release too. It's not humane.

This is the hard part of keeping chickens.

Idk if I can cull them myself. Will probably baby them somehow until I can find them homes. Idk anyone that wants them though. My sister in law said no.

 

[tlcmurphy]

Idk if I can cull them myself. Will probably baby them somehow until I can find them homes. Idk anyone that wants them though. My sister in law said no.

Your SIL has chickens, maybe she would cull them?

 

[NagemTX]

@TwoCrows @21hens-incharge
Tag anyone else that can help

These two aren't doing great. They are way smaller than the others, their beaks are much worse than they were at hatching, and I think they aren't gaining sufficient weight. I can see the breast bone more prominently in those two than the other bigger floofs.

What to do? Idk my options but I know I can't kill them if needed.

Unless you can hand feed 3 or more times a day they are not going to make it. Even then they may not because their tongues will dry out. My baby like that eventually died of cold January of this year because of malnutrition. Ten hr days at work ment I could only feed her twice a day.

For the severity of the cross beak they have I do recommend a kill culling. It's harsher for them to die of malnutrition or starvation.

 

[ElfenLied89]

Your SIL has chickens, maybe she would cull them?

I was hoping so. Might have to ask my other SIL. The one with chickens doesn't want to do it. Can one of yall come do it so I don't cry my eyes out?

 

[ElfenLied89]

Unless you can hand feed 3 or more times a day they are not going to make it. Even then they may not because their tongues will dry out. My baby like that eventually died of cold January of this year because of malnutrition. Ten hr days at work ment I could only feed her twice a day.

For the severity of the cross beak they have I do recommend a kill culling. It's harsher for them to die of malnutrition or starvation.

I understand.

 

[ElfenLied89]

Anyone point me to culling methods? Quickest and easiest?

 

[ElfenLied89]

Set out a mini feast for them yesterday. Butternut squash, cucumber, apple slices, grapes, pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon. Apparently watermelon is a fave and it got mauled.

 

[TwoCrows]

Anyone point me to culling methods? Quickest and easiest?

None of it is quick or easy, and it never is easy on the emotions, at least for me. But when it comes to culling, the bird is the number one priority, not how we feel. I totally get it, I can't take birds lives. I have a vet that studied avian medicine and puts them down for me. You might do some research on finding someone that uses sedation and then lethal injection to put them down.

The preferred killing methods here on BYC are the broom stick method or cervical dislocation at the head and neck...painless and quick. Lots of videos on line on how to do this. There's the killing cone, bird is placed in the cone, they calm down with the blood rushing into the head and with a sharp pair of pruning shears cut the head off. Both of these methods are the most humane.

 

[fluffycrow]

I dare not recommend any techniques, when I myself have not tried them. What I will say, is that a lot of people seem to do this https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-for-squeamish-people-slightly-graphic.74734/

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Idk if I can cull them myself. Will probably baby them somehow until I can find them homes. Idk anyone that wants them though. My sister in law said no.

Maybe Google search or FB search a special needs chicken group? I cannot cull either. The few times suffering & death were inevitable, I had to take to someone else to cull. It is a sad part of having these sweet creatures share our lives. They can also get cancer tumors, heart or liver disease, deformities, etc. I always think of it this way, how would I feel if I was the one suffering, & there was no remedy or chance of getting well. I would not want to prolong the agony. It is very difficult.