OH, WHAT DO I DO NOW?!!

[lightchick]

I'm sorry, but I think that with lots of TLC that chick will have a wonderful life! I think you should give it to a vet, shelter or sanctuary. They will be able to know for sure if the chick needs to be put to sleep and I'm pretty sure that their way is a lot nicer too.

 

[Sylviaanne]

Some of you are breaking my heart. I can't give up on life as long as there is a spark of will to live left.

I can't tell you how many puppies my husband and I saved that were less than 2 ounces when they were born and wanted to give up. I can't tell you how many times we had puppies go down to the point we thought they were dead from low blood sugar and brought them back from the brink. I have 3 of them that are 5, 6 and 7 years old now. Every once in a while they still go down with low blood sugar but they know that if we start working on them, they will be ok. We have saved puppies that vets would have given up on. I know because we used to take them to the vets and the vets would tell us there is nothing they can do. My only limitation is knowing when I can no longer do anything to help and knowing if I have the skills for it or not. Dogs I do, chickens I do not. I don't have enough experience with sick or dying chicks or chickens.

I have only been raising chickens for 3 years and this is the first time with a deformity.



(Someone has answered my post. She says she has chickens and ducks. I asked her if she has dealt with sick or injured animals, chickens or birds in particular. She has not answered yet. Before anyone jumps on me, I do realize she may not answer.)

 

[lightchick]

I'd try hand feeding it. Try giving it a mash of boiled egg, yogurt, chick starter and a little water mixed together. All of those are high in nutrients. I have a pigeon with a missing eye and I've seen lots of chickens on this forum that their owner didn't give up on and they are having a normal life. I've even seen a chicken that had missing feet! There are lots of "special care" chickens out there! I believe that you can save him/her! If you think that you don't have the time then I'd give it to somebody who can. If you have saved puppies then you can save chicks.
I'd really look up lots of stuff about crooked beaks and learn how to fix it.
I hope I didn't break your heart! I wish you good luck and send that baby lots of love for me!

 

[AmericanMom]

Though AmericanMom has been harsh with her words, she is absolutely right. We bring these createures into the world, it is our responsibility to take care of them and do whatever is best for them.....even the really hard stuff. If you give the chick away, it will need to remain solitary in order to not get picked on or pushed out of the food, which means it will spend its life alone.....a totally unnatural and unfair state of affairs for a chicken. They NEED to be part of a flock and if health problems prevent this, then they will be miserable NO MATTER WHAT HUMAN EFFORTS ARE MADE.

I struggle with stuff like this, my opinion is of course my opinion and I know I come across sometimes too harsh, I truly do not mean to offend but it just saddens me when stuff like this comes up.

 

[Sylviaanne]

I struggle with stuff like this, my opinion is of course my opinion and I know I come across sometimes too harsh, I truly do not mean to offend but it just saddens me when stuff like this comes up.

I am not offended. I went through this thread and looked at how many posts people have done and saw that out of all that have posted Donrae and Bobbi-j have the most posts. Both of them are very sure that I should put the baby down. I believe they have enough combined experience that I should listen to them. But I can't. I'm just not made that way, I can't give up.

By asking if the lady from Craigslist had any experience, I seem to have offended her but I hope she will give me a 2nd chance. She said she has hand fed and raised baby parrots. I think it might a good fit with her. I am waiting for another email from her to find out if she wants the baby.

 

[bobbi-j]

Some of you are breaking my heart. I can't give up on life as long as there is a spark of will to live left.

I can't tell you how many puppies my husband and I saved that were less than 2 ounces when they were born and wanted to give up. I can't tell you how many times we had puppies go down to the point we thought they were dead from low blood sugar and brought them back from the brink. I have 3 of them that are 5, 6 and 7 years old now. Every once in a while they still go down with low blood sugar but they know that if we start working on them, they will be ok. We have saved puppies that vets would have given up on. I know because we used to take them to the vets and the vets would tell us there is nothing they can do. My only limitation is knowing when I can no longer do anything to help and knowing if I have the skills for it or not. Dogs I do, chickens I do not. I don't have enough experience with sick or dying chicks or chickens.

I have only been raising chickens for 3 years and this is the first time with a deformity.



(Someone has answered my post. She says she has chickens and ducks. I asked her if she has dealt with sick or injured animals, chickens or birds in particular. She has not answered yet. Before anyone jumps on me, I do realize she may not answer.)

My question to you would be - how many of the puppies you've saved had one eye, part of the skull missing, and mouths so severely deformed that it would impede their eating normally unless they had a stressful procedure done on them regularly? I don't see any of the people encouraging you to prolong this chicken's life offering to take it for you.

I admire you for saving the puppies, and that not being something I'm familiar with would take the advice given me by people who have experience in saving puppies with low blood sugar. You've come on here asking advice, gotten responses from several people who are experienced chicken keepers and have chosen to ignore that advice. So my final bit of advice that you are not going to like because it's not filled with sunshine and roses either, is - if someone answers your ad, give them the bird and don't ask questions. It may go to a hungry snake,(which would be a far more traumatic death than a quick snap of the neck) but at least the chick will not have to face a miserable life and you won't have to deal with it.

 

[AmericanMom]

I am not offended. I went through this thread and looked at how many posts people have done and saw that out of all that have posted Donrae and Bobbi-j have the most posts. Both of them are very sure that I should put the baby down. I believe they have enough combined experience that I should listen to them. But I can't. I'm just not made that way, I can't give up.

By asking if the lady from Craigslist had any experience, I seem to have offended her but I hope she will give me a 2nd chance. She said she has hand fed and raised baby parrots. I think it might a good fit with her. I am waiting for another email from her to find out if she wants the baby.

My heart goes out to you, make no mistake and yes, those two ladies have been around the block so to speak. I have been in your position and its not an easy thing to do... You will do what you must but please keep in mind, that little one is suffering and will suffer more in the days, weeks and months to come.

 

[Pinkaboo]

Hi I've read the post but can't find why your not keeping the chick yourself?
If you can't then the lady on craigslist sounds a good option
It you feel it might have a poor quality of life and you can't cull it
Do you know anyone who would do it for you?

I'm similar I couldn't cull a bird even if it was suffering, but I have people that I would trust to do it for me
And are experienced and I know would do it professionally, otherwise I would never of started with chickens

 

[dsbailey70]

Posting on craigslist (or anywhere else) to give away any animal is one of the most irresponsible, and careless things anyone could do as a pet or livestock owner. In my area there have been confirmed cases where different people, who may dress, act, and speak well, go around taking the "free to a good home" cats, kittens, dogs, puppies, etc, and then using them as bait animals for dog fighting operations. I'm sure that this happens elsewhere too. Ask your vet, or any vet in your area, if it is possible for it to have a good quality of life. If it can, then ask them, or the local humane society, or any rescue group for help in finding the little one a home. If it can't have a good quality of life, then ask the vet to euthanize it. The vet is a professional, and will be able to accomplish that painful task with professional expertise, and with the chick's well being in mind. Home (or online) ideas for euthanizing it are not the way to go. Look at it like this...how would you want to be treated in a similar situation?

 

[Sylviaanne]

I don't even know where to start answering everyone.

Bobbi-j: you are right. This time has already happened but if there is ever a 2nd time, I will take it to the vet to find out if it can have any type of a quality of life. But yes, there were 2 people on Backyard that offered to take the baby. I won't ship it.

AmericanMom: Other than the way the baby looks, it acts just like the other chicks it is in with. I have not seen it eat or drink but I haven't been watching.

Pinkaboo: I am afraid I might drown it while trying to feed it. I don't know how to hand feed a bird. When I started getting chickens, a deformed baby was not even an option to consider. Never crossed my mind. I am sure my husband could cull it but he has a heart as soft as mine and I won't put that on him. If it were showing any signs of physical suffering, yes, we could put it down.

Dsbailey70: given the way the chick is acting, I would want life for as long as I could get it. It seems to be perfectly healthy other than it's deformities.

If I still have this baby tomorrow I will take it to the vet and find out what she says. It was born yesterday and if it has not eaten, which I can not prove one way or another, it's time is running out.