How to cull chick humanely?

[bigstack]

I personally use pruning shears. Its a lil messy (bout a tbl spoon of blood) but quick and done! One snip and the head is off! I place the baby over an open wally world sack laying on the table/counter. Snip, close the bag and toss out in the burn pile. I hate to cull babies!!! Every one has their opinion on why their way is better. You just have to find what is best for you. If you don't use enough either you can slowly suffocate. I agree if done correctly it is painless and they just go to sleep and don't wake up. It really depends on the body size. I am not putting any one down for their way! Like I said we all have our own opinions and must do what we each feel is correct for our situation. I am so sorry for the sick fuzzy butt!

I really hope he gets well with the vitamins!!! That is what it sounds like to me aswell!

Good Luck and God Bless!

 

[Marshmallow Man]

Maybe you could fabricate a miniature guillotine. I could do the scissor or pruning shears thing. I tried to cut off a chickens head that had been attacked by our dog. I used a brand new ax and it just bounced off his neck. Then I felt really bad. It wasn't pretty. Seems like shears would be fast.

 

[vaultmom]

Thanks you for sharing the information on how to humanely cull a chick. I have to do this tomorrow and I am going to use the starter fluid method and the zip lock bag. Just typing this is making my stomach churn, but I know I have to do it. I ordered 75 day old chicks and 1 of them has a sissor beak. I had this happen last year when I ordered my chicks and just like this time, it did not show up until they were 3 weeks old. I checked each chick's feet & beaks when I transferred them from the shipping box to the brooder and did not see any deficts. Last year I did not cull the chick, I thought if she survived -- what difference would it make if she was just laying eggs to eat--not hatching any. Well I was wrong. My pullet turned out to be a rooster and he has to eat almost constantly because it is hard for him to get the food into his mouth. He expends so much energy eating that he always looks thin. He grew up ok, but he is very small--but very sweet. Now I could not destroy him, but I still feel bad sometimes that I did not do what should have been done when he was just 3 weeks old. Because his beak does not line up right it grows really long and I have to trim it about every 6 months. The top beak does not bleed when I trim, but the bottom one always does, even if I just trim the tinest bit.

Not looking forward to the morning--but at least I will be able to do the necessary job in a humane way, that I can deal with. Thank you everyone for your posts on how to do this unpleasant but necessay job.

 

[vaultmom]

I am sad to report that I did cull my 3 week old chick today. I used the starter fluild method that was discussed here. I put several paper towels inside a gallon size zip lock bag, sprayed them with a good amount of the starter fluid and then put the chick inside. She did go almost immediately "to sleep", but it was a full 10 minutes till she stopped breathing. I don't think she was at all aware of anything that was happenning to her.

I would caution anyone using this method to be very careful not to breath in the vapors--they are horrible--I did it outside, but still caught a big gulp of them. Also, it is not instant. I did not like the idea that the little bird was sealed in the bag with the horrible smell either, but like I said, she went almost instantly unconscious.

I think that I agree with the other forum members that said, if you can do it, that simply snipping their little necks off with shears, is probably the fastest and less tramatic for the bird.....I just know that this 1st time for me that I could not do that and I was thankful to have an alternative method. I hope that this is the only time that I will have to make this decision, but the likely hood is that it will not be.

I am happy to say that the 74 remaining chicks are all perfect, happy and healthy, as our my 8 ducklings and my 12 French Guinea chicks.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

You did what was best for that chick, even though it was difficult for you. Every chicken keeper has to seriously consider this issue, and have their plans in place for just what they will do when faced with this decision. It's best to know now rather than conduct a lengthy course of research on the subject when you have a chick or chicken that's injured or ailing.

 

[vaultmom]

Thanks Sunny_side_up for the words of encouragement on a difficult decision. I feel sure I made the right decision for the little chick, but there is that little "what if" voice that pops up--and I was just feeling a little sad when I sat down to do some work on the computer and saw your reply--Thanks--You are right to on researching a plan. Now that I did my research, I have a plan if I have to cull a chick or a full grown hen. Also I love your quote: about blessed are the flexible--they will never get bent out of shape--I know that's not quite how you had it--I'll look it up again after I post this.

 

[rose883]

Thank you for the ether method. I am heartbroken about one of my new chicks. He seemed healthy when he was hatched, but his legs will not go underneath him and he just lies on the bottom of the brooder. I tried putting him in a sock sling (right by the water, food and light) and it seemed to help his legs, but he seems to be getting weaker and weaker, so I took him out of the sling and he flops down on the floor again. I hate to watch him suffer. I can't bear to harm him. I saw someone else with this same problem and they could not solve it either, so culled their chick. I am still trying to help him (with vitamins, etc.), but fear I may have to put the little fellow down today. :'(

 

[rose883]

We put the little one down with the ether. He seemed to go right to sleep. He was already miserable. Both my husband and I could not physically do any harm to him. We are softies I guess. Thank you for a gentle way.
Rose

 

[Coop de Grass]

I wish that I had read this post an hour ago...

I assisted in a hatching on April 2. It was a Crested Cream Legbar and I was really hoping that he would make it. There were 2 other roos that hatched, I oilve egger and another CCL. The little guy was 1/2 the size of the other two and by the time they were 2 weeks old, he was getting shut out at the food and water. He had chronic pasty butt no matter what I did. Tried cornmeal in the feed, grit, olive oil around the vent. It wouldnt stop.

I hatched some FBCMs on April 10, and when they were 3 days old, they were as big as he was. He didn't have to fight for food, they pretty much adopted him, but once again outgrew him and the pasty butt continued.

I talked it over with my DH (Darling Husband) who said that he would take care of it. This afternoon I decided that if I was going to keep chickens and hatch eggs, I needed to learn to deal with this myself.

I took him outside in a towel, and then with my right hand around his neck, I twisted. I found out the hard way that chicks continue to move and cheep. I was not happy that I had to clobber him to dispatch him - it sounds so cold and horrible. I spent a lot of time cuddling that little guy and washing his butt and hoping that he would get better. Even though I knew that no one would use him to breed.

I am sad that he suffered.

Thank you for the information @Marshmallow Man , and also the other methods. I'm not sure I could cut the chicks head off, maybe my husband could.

I dont want to anthropomorphize the chicks, but with all the care I give them, they are like my kids.

 

[fatcatx]

I am so sorry you had a rough time.

There doesn't seem to be any "right way" to do it - just ways that feel less wrong. I'm like you. I've let my husband do the dirty work in the past, but were getting ready to incubate so chances are at least one will be born with health problems and I think he shouldn't be stuck doing it all the time. I will probably try the ether way. I appreciate the post so much.

Honestly the scissors is probably even more humane as long as you do it quick and clean. You can't feel pain or panic without your brain. It may take me a while to reach the point where I can though. baby steps...