HELP my 8 week old chick is sick seizures

[luv2bmomjen]

The vet called to check on her today and gave bad news. Because she is not pecking at all, is still swaying her neck all the time, and is 99% likely to be blind it's time to say goodbye. This is honetly harder to do everyday that passes because she is getting stronger everyday and doing more. She can walk now and prune her own feathers. But she only walks if you tap her from behind not for any purpose and only a could steps. I can wave my hand in front of her and it's as if she has no idea I am there until I touch her. That tells me that she is most likely blind. We do have her for a pet not really for eggs but I can't tube feed her forever and it's highly unlikely she will ever go back to the coop. If I even thought there was a chance that I could keep her happy, alive and in the house I would but the vet says it's very likely she will just have seizures again and watching that was unbearable.
I think the best plan is for us to youthenize her while our kids are sleeping with something peaceful like gas. Then we will go ahead and bury her next to the coop before the kids know any different. They are NOT ready to let her go. At least not my 6 and 9 year old. My 11 year old son (it's his chicken) said " Mommy it's the right thing to let her go now. The sooner the better. The way she is stuck in the box and blind is no way any animal should have to live" I found that to be a very brave and mature statement from an 11 year old. He is thinking more about her than himself and I am so proud of that!
I would love any advice anyone has on how to do this easily as my husband and I are not doing well and if I take her to the vet to do it the kids will know and resent us.

Thank you all for your support! It's priceless.

 

[boskelli1571]

If you type in 'how to euthanize a chicken' here, you will find several suggested methods of 'dispatch'. Since she is blind, unaware of surroundings etc. I think I would personally choose decapitation. It's quick - also messy. Do it outside and hold on to the chick until she stops moving, it really shouldn't take long. Take comfort & courage in the knowledge that you are ending suffering. Our thoughts & prayers are with you,

 

[luv2bmomjen]

OMG I can't even drop her off at the vet to have them do it let alone do it that way:-(. Thank you so much for the info though. I guess I need to come to terms with this a bit more.

 

[cmlew99]

If you have young children, I really don't think decapitation is a good idea. Personally, as a kid that has had my parents euthanize pets before, id always prefer to be there. I would be even more delvestated if I woke up and found out that my parents had killed my pet. Just as long as your 11 year old knows it's going on! My rabbit was put to sleep with gas at the vets office. It was very peaceful, and I held him as he quietly died. It's the best way if your willing to spend a bit more money on this brave pet.

 

[cmlew99]

I meant devastated, by the way. Typo.... I wish you wisdom and comfort in this hard part of animal raising.

 

[luv2bmomjen]

We have decided to take the chicken into the vets office. The kids all said they are most afraid of her dying here where they can see it. They want her to go there and said if the vets can't help her then they don't want to watch her have to sit in a box all day.

 

[cmlew99]

It's good that you have understanding kids, and that they have made that kind of decision. I hope the vet can help, and keep us posted. You have all of our best wishes.

 

[scooter16]

@luv2bmomjen--I am sorry you had to make this difficult decision. I recently hatched some chicks- I too am fairly new to chickens. I begged my DH for awhile to be able to at least hatch chicks for other people. I have no yard to keep them long term. I promised him I would handle all the issues/illnesses that might arise. He is NOT a chicken person. My last hatch had 2 that I had to cull. One was wry neck--flopping all over, it was pitiful. The other hatched and never peeped or walked, just lay there. I researched on BYC the best way to cull. I chose neck severing. I rolled them in a paper towel, counted to three and did the deed. Very hard for me. I am an ICU RN and not squeamish, but I still went and cried. I knew I had to do the right thing. I realized there is bad that goes with the good of raising chickens. Hang in there, the fun outweighs the sad stuff.

 

[luv2bmomjen]

Thank you for that post. I think you have touched on something there. Ever since I had this one get sick I haven't even been out to the coop to see the others. I am just so sad.

 

[luv2bmomjen]

I did make a video of tube feeding her that I will upload here when I figure out how to upload video and pics to posts. That way other people having to do this will not be as scared as I was.
I need to let her go over to the vet soon and start enjoying our beautiful coop we spent the last 10 weeks working on and decorating and mostly my lovely girls that are still healthy!!!