Had to cull my crippled chick- Vinegar and Baking Soda Method

[NOnuggets]

Not that this is my favorite evening reading, but I sure am glad you posted it, Wayne. One of our packing peanuts from Ideal has developed crossbeak, and it is getting increasingly worse.

Wouldn't it figure that it is just the sweetest little chick. That said, every time I see it my heart breaks for it and I wonder how it manages to go on...It preens its feathers, is one of the first out of the brooder for playtime...but can't even pick the treats up that all of the others scrabble for despite all of his efforts. Have decided to let him live as long as he seems to enjoy being here, and is able to keep his weight. Have also thought about how I could euthanize him if he didn't...I couldn't let him starve. Now I have a different option, and I am grateful for it. Thanks for the post.

 

[cwc362]

Thanks - I appreciate that- rscrvc posted a even more detailed precise version of this on post no # 35 . By my observation this has been the most quiet, fast, unmessy way to put an animal down. I grew up killing chickens and hogs etc for food so I know how to do it the other way too. But I mean, This was a tiny little helpless thing and I wanted to do it as humanely as possible.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

I just now did this with one of my chicks. She hatched on the 13th. In that time she has not grown at all and has become increasingly weak. I kept thinking she would just pass on quietly but she has not. She was to the point of doing absolutely nothing. She only drinks when I dip her beak and would eat nothing. For 2 days she has had no food at all.

When I picked her up to place her in the container she looked at me. I kissed and cuddled her and told her it was alright...she would not suffer anymore. I put her in there, closed it up, then completely broke down crying. Sometimes I don't think I am cut out for this stuff.

 

[cwc362]

Quote:
Sorry about that!! I know it's hard , but sometimes it's better for the animal. YOu did the right thing Canning Squirrel!!

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Thanks. I know I had to it just killed me.

Thankfully I had my best friend on the phone who is as much of an animal lover as me to help me get through it. Not sure I could have done it without some hand holding.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

There was another thread here about culling chicks some time ago, and some folks were upset about the suggestion to put sick chicks in the freezer (I was told about that method by a pet store employee). Then I asked some long-time chicken keepers & breeders to tell me the methods they used to cull chicks. Many of their replies are too harsh to print here, but the most trustworthy man explained how to humanely kill them by breaking their necks, holding their heads with one hand & pulling back on their legs.

Recently I also had a chick with similar leg problems, it wouldn't stand up straight on its legs, but scooted around with them bent. It wasn't eating well either, and stayed light & grew weak. I popped its neck like I was told, but felt troubled afterwards, the neck was truly broken in an instant but the chick kept moving afterwards, and it was too sad to see. I wished I had used a sharp scissors instead. Then I would have known for certain that the chick had died instantly, that its movements were just reflexes.

But next time I have to cull a chick I'll use vinegar & baking soda. I'll put it in a wide heavy glass jar, like a peanut butter jar, so the chick can't tip it over if it's at all mobile. Thanks for sharing the information.

 

[cwc362]

Quote:
Thanks!!
If I had them outside in a brooder or something I might have went with the old fashioned way by breaking the neck. But Since I only had six chicks and it's still chilly at night and I didn't want to run a light outside, I brooded them in the house. There was no way to cut off the head or break it's neck without my daughters or my mother seeing it, so I used this method. I had put off doing it for a while anyway and finally decided that it was time. But I am glad I did it this way- It worked out very well.

 

[ChooksChick]

It's important to keep the mixture separate from the animal to prevent it from the discomfort of the chemical reaction. The noise and foaming is quite violent, as well.

Please keep in mind if you alter the ratios or *especially* the size of the container, you also risk making the animal suffer on its way out, as immediate use of the full amount of vinegar can cause severely caustic fumes that will hurt its eyes, nose and lungs severely.

I do strongly recommend that people read the original instructions in the link http://www.alysion.org/euthanasia and do a trial run NOW, minus the animal, so that if the time comes, you know what to expect. You'll know what the foaming is like and the noise, etc.

I hope no one ever needs it, but that's unrealistic.

 

[cwc362]

Gonna bring this thread back because - Somebody new to chickens is needing advice on culling.

 

[pefferlawchicken]

i did it today too

same way works good