How to put a chick down?

[garagegirl]

Hi I have a question that is weighing on my mind and I'm searching for an answer so I thought I would come to the best place I know for my chicken ?'s. I have been hatching chicks for a couple of months now and it's been going pretty good so far but I have one chick that can't stand or walk I think he got stepped on by the other chicks after he had hatched we named him Forrest Gump well Forrest is about a month old and I thought he would be ok if I took care of him I hold him to water & feed him. He hasn't grown much he only can flop around the box one of his legs don't have any fuzz on it anymore and his wings are getting tattered and losing what little feathers he does have.My other one I have his name is Lefty cause he can only move around by going in circles although he gets around better than forrest. Lefty can't stand up straight when he sits his legs do complete side way splits. He has grown more than Forrest he is getting his feathers. He can get to the food and water but I still hold him to make sure he is eating & drinking. They don't chirp any more than the others they don't seem to be in any pain that I can tell. It is so hard to see them flop around their box. When they were born I didn't want to put them down just because they weren't right, but now that they are getting bigger well Lefty anyway I'm not sure if that was the right thing to do. So here is my question How is the best way to put them down without making them suffer? This is something that troubles me because just to think of killing them makes me cry. Sorry for the long story but I didn't want to ask such a mean ? without a little history. Thank you for reading and thank you too anyone that can help me on this.

 

[coffeekittie]

I'll PM you in a second.

 

[bobbi-j]

First of all, this is not a mean question. Sometimes the kindest thing we can do for our animals is to put them down when they're suffering or have no quality of life. How kind would it be to let them flop around in a box the rest of their lives? I think you're making the right decision in putting them down. In my opinion, the most humane way is decapitation. I know it seems violent, and it's not clean or pretty, but it's over with in a second. For a month-old bird, a very sharp knife would be sufficient. If you are unable to do it yourself, maybe you can find someone help you or do it for you.

 

[coffeekittie]

Yes, I agree. Pretty much what I said in the PM. It's a sad thing for someone to have to do, but MUCH nicer to the animal in question, IMO.