I've got this 2 day old chick with really bad leg spraddle. it seems to be genetic because it came out of the shell looking like its hips were way up on its sides. but anyway, i tried tying its legs together, but it doesn't do anything but sleep anyway. it's obviously just not healthy and probably won't live long. it doesn't make attempts to eat or drink. so i was looking at it tonight, watching it just lay there and chirp every once in a while, and thought i should just put it down. someone had mentioned using starter fluid as it has ether in it. so i sprayed for several seconds onto a rag and put it in a gladware dish, cuddled the chickie and put him in and sealed the lid. that chickie was NOT happy. i was under the impression that it would just suffocate and peacefully die. i tried to wait it out, thinking it would be rather short, but i probably had it in there for 30 seconds and it was still fighting it. poor thing. so i just couldn't stand it anymore and i snatched off the lid and am still holding the sweet thing. it is the only buff ee out of the 8 eggs that hatched and it is so pretty. i don't want to let go of the poor thing. i want to try harder to save it. a couple of months ago i had a chick that had leg problems who died after a week and a half. i didn't want to do that again. i thought i was getting tough enough to put it out of its misery, but i guess not.
