keet can't walk--is culling best thing?

[wskline]

I have keet that's probably 3 weeks old. Had splay leg so I put brace on. Seemed to be getting better but then just went down hill. The leg is whole way out to side and he cant walk at all. Kinda flops to feed dish. He is eating and drinking but cannot walk. Is culling best thing? I was in tears last night talking about it.

 

[Mistahbue]

I don't know the answer to that. My heart goes out to you.

 

[red horse ranch]

I have keet that's probably 3 weeks old. Had splay leg so I put brace on. Seemed to be getting better but then just went down hill. The leg is whole way out to side and he cant walk at all. Kinda flops to feed dish. He is eating and drinking but cannot walk. Is culling best thing? I was in tears last night talking about it.

I understand exactly what you are going thru. I had a bad hatch early in July with 5 of them that way! It is called 'slipped tendon' and there is no cure or way to reverse the damage. I put two of them down the first week but it broke my heart to do it. I still haven't taken out the last three since they can get around a little bit. But they will always be cripples and eventually I'll have to make the decision to do it. I wish now I had taken out all five as soon as I realized the problem. It never gets any easier.

 

[wskline]

"slipped tendon" which probably explains why I couldn't really get brace back on. It was almost like I had to break the leg to get it in right position and I wasn't about to do that. I've read ways to cull a chick and I almost couldn't even read it, not something I can do. I've asked my hubby to please just shot poor thing. Was hoping he would have done by time I get home but I dont think he will. It's not easy and I'm not sure I would incubate again in fear of going thru this again. I have 19 other healthy keets right now and soon most will go to new home.

 

[red horse ranch]

Please don't give up on incubating. Bringing new life into the world is one of the most rewarding things you can do, whether it be human, birds or other animals. Life isn't always perfect and neither are our babies. I've hatched hundreds of keets in the last few years and this was the first time I've had this problem. Over the years I occasionally have a chick with slipped tendons but not keets. Humidity problems in an old incubator was to blame this time.
I've always had hubby do the dirty deed but it was hard for him too. So this time I used my BB gun at the back of their head. It's quick and they don't suffer. I felt like since I was responsible for creating them that I had to toughen up and take the bad along with the good.

A wise man once said about life;

"You have to laugh a little, cry a little, let your poor heart break a little"

 

[mommaguinea]

Culling breaks my heart but I have tried to do what you are doing and the situation only gets worse. I have had the tendon issue and other problems on and off, as will happen when you incubate. If they were raised naturally, they would never make it away from the nest.

Just do the best you can, and when it is necessary, be certain it is fast and as painless as possible. Don't give up, but accept this sort of thing happens to everyone, and in nature.

 

[wskline]

Thank you everyone for your advice and kind words. When I got home the hubby had already taken care of the little guy. He said he looked in and couldn't stand seeing him that way and struggling. All I asked him was, he didn't suffer, did he? And he said no.