My turkey poults have hatched!

[MamaMarcy]

Out of 10 eggs, I now have 2 beautiful white turkey poults! They are so cute and have such huge feet.

One I thought was dead (my only wild turkey egg), and I didn't know about the float test so cracked it 1-2 weeks ago cause I wnted to know what was wrong...and it was alive.

I felt so bad. The remaining 4 were whites, one hatched a day early yesterday and had hatching issues and was my first cull when his innards fell out.

Tht left 3 eggs, one of which hadn't moved in days and was dead. The last 2 have hatched, and are beautiful.

I cried so hard last night. The poult was obviously in pain, and getting worse by the minute. I had heard about putting small animals down by putting them in a plastic bag and using the car exhaust. Let me tell you....it is NOT a kind way and I will never ever try it again. I actully stopped and got the shovel.

I know I had to do it for his sake, but man it was hard. My husband has asked me to stop trying to hatch becuse it makes me too emotional, and told me if it happens again to let him deal with it. I was afraid him dealing with it would mean throwing it into the woods alive.

 

[mstricer]

Quote:
The easiest way to do it, is a sharp pair of shears and you take the head off, fast and easy. I don't do it but the BF will for me if needed. He's tried many different ways and by far the sharp shears is the way to go with a chick he said. Sorry about your loss.

 

[MamaMarcy]

I really don't think I could cut anything's head off. I try to imagine if it were myself...would I rather have my head cut off or have it be instant with a smash to the head? Sorry, that's so morbid. But I know a quick shovel to the brain is so fast, it's just over. Decapitation...the brain is still intact for some time, even if just a few seconds. If it were a larger animal I'd shoot it in the head, same affect. Not that any method is appealing...I guess my first choise with a larger animal during business hours would be the vet...


I'm going to have nightmares now

 

[GrannysRoost]

Congrats on the poults, they are so fun! A friend I have gotten some chickens from and hatching eggs, said if any doubt on the eggs to put in a baggie in the freezer for 30 minutes or so if don't want to break so they don't die if not dead...they just go to sleep..., not had to do but I could not wack or cut...

 

[MamaMarcy]

The poult had been mostly hatched all day though. It was dragging it's shell around by a big blood vessel, which I ended up tying off and cutting (egg end so no bleeding). Not long after it's intestines prolapsed. I'm sure it had a defect to begin with, and wonder if the strain of hauling the egg around the incubator made it worse. It was suffering so, I tried the bag with car exhaust method thinking it'd just "go to sleep." Not the case at all...it was suffering even worse...which is why I ended up whacking.

I had considered leaving it out in the cold (it's very very cold outside here now), but knowing it was in pain I felt I owed it a quicker death.

I love the egg in the freezer idea if in doubt about an eggie. I've been using the float test now, and wasn't quite sure about the 4th turkey egg..but with candling over 3 days his little beak and the rest of him stayed absolutely still & nothing with float test. So, I let that egg just cool today, knowing he was gone.

So sad, but I'm really happy now to have these 2 healthy poults.

 

[GrannysRoost]

Quote:
Glad you have the 2 good ones, we all have to choose our own way, and I haven't been put in that situation yet if it was iffy....Love your little guys/girls