How to humanely put down a chick

[Miss Molly]

I hand the poor little chick to my husband to do the dirty work....

" don't ask, don't tell..." I hate when it has to be done... Kills me!

 

[nbchickfarming]

Humane in definition = marked by compassion, sympathy, or consideration for animals.

Recently a friend told me about their dog euthanized by a vet. The animal shivered for a few minutes while being injected with the medication. I've never experienced having to do this, but i fear the day my dogs take their last trip to the vet.

 

[chickendaddy'swife]

Yes I agree. I think taking them to the vet is the best option.

 

[VanZane]

I've had to face this a number of times, it makes me sick to kill anything honestly. Not sick as in grossed out, the gore doesn't bother me as much as the thought of taking life. I've been raising birds for a short while and despite everyone thinking I'm odd for wanting to do so, I've done really good at it. The hardest thing for me is the kill. I never realized how hard it would be to have to kill a crying baby chick because it was born with it's guts hanging out, and they busted. I got in this for fun, and having eggs. But sadly you have to come to terms that, a good person that loves their flock will kill in the best way they can to prevent the bird harm or pain. Currently I use a hatchet so I can be more in control holding the feet in one hand and chopping with the other. I believe very strongly that as people we're getting too far from this knowledge of what it takes to live, so I keep that in mind while doing the hard to do things like putting down a chick, or troublesome roosters. I think if it bothers you, that's a good thing because that only means you value their life and there is no wrong in that.

 

[VanZane]

Humane in definition = marked by compassion, sympathy, or consideration for animals. 

Recently a friend told me about their dog euthanized by a vet. The animal shivered for a few minutes while being injected with the medication.  I've never experienced having to do this, but i fear the day my dogs take their last trip to the vet. 

Something about the knowledge that what's taking place is the final chapter in their life, it's not easy. I had 2 roosters I had raised... Actually hatched them in my house and loved them so much, but both of them were sweet little guys that started turning mean around 9 months old. It got to the point I had to get rid of them, they were causing flock injuries with hens and other roosters. I have to say, it absolutely hurt me to the bone to kill them, but I felt that I had given them an amazing quality of life while they were here, and I knew if the died by my hand, they wouldn't die a horrible death because I would make sure of it. For me it was about loving the rest of my flock and doing what was right for them despite my personal attachments

 

[VanZane]

I use the loppers and the feed sack method. I bought a very sharp, good pair of adjustable handle limb loppers from the HD. That is the only thing they are used for so they stay good and sharp. I am a big wussy when it comes to putting them down, and found this way to be best for me and the chicken. I tried neck wringing but found I only ended up giving them chiropractic adjustments..... /img/smilies/sad.png   I place the chicken into the sack after spending some time with it. I position the loppers, do the deed, and it is already in a sack so i don't have to look. Their is some movement after decapitation, it was hard for me at first, but I realize now it is just involuntary movement. What ever way is quick and painless as possible to the animal is best. It's a hard thing.

I hate wringing the neck too, yes it works but I just don't like it and won't allow it to be done to any of my flock. I was faced with having to do a wringing to a hen of mine one night when I was ran out of bed hearing my birds screaming. A huge dog had got in their lot and had killed a bunch of them, it was basically a mass killing of my favorite hens. I got down there to find one spitting blood and flopping, she was a Golden Comet maybe 3 weeks from laying age, I gathered her and she was tore and broke beyond fixing or helping. I loved her so much I put her down right there because I wouldn't waste time running to get an axe or hatchet. That was an over all devastating night.

 

[Beekissed]

I've had to face this a number of times, it makes me sick to kill anything honestly. Not sick as in grossed out, the gore doesn't bother me as much as the thought of taking life. I've been raising birds for a short while and despite everyone thinking I'm odd for wanting to do so, I've done really good at it. The hardest thing for me is the kill. I never realized how hard it would be to have to kill a crying baby chick because it was born with it's guts hanging out, and they busted. I got in this for fun, and having eggs. But sadly you have to come to terms that, a good person that loves their flock will kill in the best way they can to prevent the bird harm or pain. Currently I use a hatchet so I can be more in control holding the feet in one hand and chopping with the other. I believe very strongly that as people we're getting too far from this knowledge of what it takes to live, so I keep that in mind while doing the hard to do things like putting down a chick, or troublesome roosters. I think if it bothers you, that's a good thing because that only means you value their life and there is no wrong in that.

Amen! It's never easy to kill another creature and that's normal....but there's responsibility to the animals in your care and just because it's hard doesn't mean it's not still a responsibility. That realization comes with maturity and integrity...once a flock owner reaches that point in their flock paradigm they will start to see the killing in another light. It's necessary to keep strong genetics strong and also necessary at times to give mercy to a bird or the rest of the flock being stressed by a bird.

 

[farmgirl200]

I agree!

 

[farmgirl200]

There should be no pain. So going to the vets, or a vet coming to you and to put it asleep would be best. Even so, if you grab a chicken by the neck, they will get scared. With a needle, they won't know what's happening. I had a chicken with a crooked neck too, it was wry neck, but he lived with duramicin, an antibiotic, selenium, vitamin E, molasses, a little. We had him separated also with a towel to lay his head and neck on, cause it was too painful to lay on his side with wry neck. We fed him and dipped his beak in water. There was normal powder electrolytes in the water I think too. Be careful the way you hold him/her too, cause they can be In a lot of pain from this. I'm not saying that this will work, it may not be wry neck, but even if it is, it still might not work, but give it a chance. Any questions just reply to this.

I seriously really hope is helps and works!

 

[farmgirl200]

Maybe take a picture too.